# CVE-2026-54225: Apache CXF: Denial of Service attack via large attachments

> Attackers can cause denial of service by sending large attachments if the default size limit is not explicitly configured in Apache CXF.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 6 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-h9mr-9vh5-65gw

## What is CVE-2026-54225?

CVE-2026-54225 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in Apache Cxf, published on 6 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Apache CXF allows to control the maximum attachment size via the "attachment-max-size". Prior to Apache CXF 4.2.3 and 4.1.8 and 3.6.12, there was no default placed on this size, meaning that a denial of service attack is possible if the user doesn't explicitly set the limit. Users should update to Apache CXF 4.2.3 or 4.1.8 or 3.6.12 which fixes this problem by imposing a default attachment size limit of 50mb.

Weakness: CWE-770 (Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-54225?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Apache Cxf.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-54225?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-54225 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-54225 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-54225 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Apache Cxf

- [CVE-2012-2379](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2379/): XML Signature/Encryption Not Validated in Apache CXF (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-66909](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-66909/): Apache CXF: Unsafe deserialization of inbound JMS ObjectMessage (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-68079](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-68079/): Apache CXF: DefaultEncryptingCodeDataProvider allows unlimited authorization code replay (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-50628](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-50628/): Apache CXF: OAuth2: Inverted IP Binding Check Defeats Security Control (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-48913](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-48913/): Apache CXF: Untrusted JMS configuration can lead to RCE (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-54225 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-54225 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in Apache Cxf, published on 6 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-54225 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Apache Cxf. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2026-54225/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-54225/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-54225
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-54225
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-54225

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-54225/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.