CVE-2026-57485: Stirling-PDF: Internal Service Account API Key Disclosure via Pipeline Endpoint
Stirling-PDF is a locally hosted web application that facilitates various operations on PDF files. Prior to 2.9.0, the /api/v1/pipeline/handleData endpoint in app/core/src/main/java/stirling/software/SPDF/controller/api/pipeline/PipelineProcessor.java injects the STIRLING-PDF-BACKEND-API-USER API key into pipeline subrequests, allowing an authenticated ROLEUSER to retrieve the key through /api/v1/user/get-api-key, impersonate the internal service account, bypass normal rate limits, and access internal endpoints including /api/v1/info/requests/all and /api/v1/info/load/all. This issue is fixed in version 2.9.0.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
stirling/software/SPDFto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 2.9.0
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-57485?
The severity of CVE-2026-57485 is classified as high with a score of 8.5.
How do I fix CVE-2026-57485?
To fix CVE-2026-57485, upgrade Stirling-PDF to version 2.9.0 or later.
What type of vulnerability is CVE-2026-57485?
CVE-2026-57485 is an information leak vulnerability due to API key exposure.
What is the impact of CVE-2026-57485?
CVE-2026-57485 allows unauthorized access to the STIRLING-PDF-BACKEND-API-USER API key.
Which endpoint is affected by CVE-2026-57485?
The affected endpoint in CVE-2026-57485 is /api/v1/pipeline/handleData.