# CVE-2026-33929: Apache PDFBox Examples: Path Traversal in PDFBox ExtractEmbeddedFiles Example Code > A path traversal flaw in the ExtractEmbeddedFiles example allows attackers to write files to unintended directories via malicious PDFs. - **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Any signed-in user - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 14 Apr 2026 - **Updated:** 14 Apr 2026 - **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-33929, GHSA-gcj8-76p4-g2fq, OESA-2026-2147, OESA-2026-2148, OESA-2026-2238, OESA-2026-2239, OESA-2026-2240, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-33929 ## What is CVE-2026-33929? CVE-2026-33929 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Apache PDFBox Examples, published on 14 Apr 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim. ### Official description Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in Apache PDFBox Examples. This issue affects the ExtractEmbeddedFiles example in Apache PDFBox: from 2.0.24 through 2.0.36, from 3.0.0 through 3.0.7. Users are recommended to update to version 2.0.37 or 3.0.8 once available. Until then, they should apply the fix provided in GitHub PR 427. The ExtractEmbeddedFiles example contained a path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22) mentioned in CVE-2026-23907. However the change in the releases 2.0.36 and 3.0.7 is flawed because it doesn't consider the file path separator. Because of that, a user having writing rights on /home/ABC could be victim to a malicious PDF resulting in a write attempt to any path starting with /home/ABC, e.g. "/home/ABCDEF". Users who have copied this example into their production code should apply the mentioned change. The example has been changed accordingly and is available in the project repository. Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-33929? 4 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox-examples. It affects 1 product. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox-examples` | Maven | From 2.0.24 | 2.0.37 | | `org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox-examples` | Maven | From 2.0.24 | 2.0.37 | | `org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox-examples` | Maven | From 3.0.0 | 3.0.8 | | `org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox-examples` | Maven | From 3.0.0 | 3.0.8 | Products: Apache Pdfbox. ## How do I fix CVE-2026-33929? Upgrade org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox-examples to a fixed version for your release line: 2.0.37 or 3.0.8. ## Is CVE-2026-33929 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-33929 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Other vulnerabilities in Apache PDFBox Examples - [CVE-2016-2175](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2175/): High severity vulnerability that affects org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox (high 7.8) - [CVE-2018-8036](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8036/): Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition in Apache PDFBox (medium 6.5) - [CVE-2021-31811](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-31811/): A carefully crafted PDF file can trigger an OutOfMemory-Exception while loading a tiny file (medium 5.5) - [CVE-2021-31812](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-31812/): A carefully crafted PDF file can trigger an infinite loop while loading the file (medium 5.5) - [CVE-2021-27807](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-27807/): A carefully crafted PDF file can trigger an infinite loop while loading the file (medium 5.5) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2026-33929 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2026-33929 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Apache PDFBox Examples, published on 14 Apr 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-33929 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected packages and fixed versions: - org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox-examples (Maven): affected from 2.0.24; fixed in 2.0.37 - org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox-examples (Maven): affected from 2.0.24; fixed in 2.0.37 - org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox-examples (Maven): affected from 3.0.0; fixed in 3.0.8 - org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox-examples (Maven): affected from 3.0.0; fixed in 3.0.8 Task: 1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies. 2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it. 3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead. 4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why. 5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing. Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-33929/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-33929/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-33929 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-33929 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-33929 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-33929/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.