Description

The Apache Software Foundation has released a security advisory for Apache Spatial Information System (SIS), a widely used Java library for building geospatial and mapping applications. The newly identified issue, tracked as CVE-2025-68280, is a moderate-severity vulnerability that could allow attackers to access sensitive files on affected servers. The flaw impacts a broad range of releases, spanning Apache SIS versions 0.4 through 1.5. The vulnerability is caused by XML External Entity references improper restriction. When Apache SIS processes untrusted XML input without adequately disabling external entity resolution, a maliciously crafted XML file can force the application to read and expose local server files. An attacker could exploit this by submitting specially designed geospatial or metadata files, potentially retrieving configuration data, credentials, or other sensitive system information. The risk surfaces across multiple Apache SIS parsing services that rely on XML-based formats. These include GeoTIFF files containing GEO_METADATA tags defined by the Defense Geospatial Information Working Group, ISO 19115 metadata parsed in XML format, Coordinate Reference Systems defined using Geography Markup Language, and GPS data handled through GPX files. Applications that accept or process these formats from untrusted sources are particularly exposed. Apache has addressed the issue in Apache SIS version 1.6 by enforcing stricter XML parsing controls. Users are strongly advised to upgrade to the fixed release as soon as possible. For environments where immediate upgrades are not feasible, administrators can reduce risk by launching Java applications with the javax.xml.accessExternalDTD system property set to an empty value or a strict protocol whitelist. Limiting the processing of untrusted geospatial data and applying secure XML parsing practices are essential to preventing exploitation.