Analysis Summary

Apache Jena, a widely used framework for building Semantic Web and Linked Data applications, has disclosed two high-severity vulnerabilities CVE-2025-49656 and CVE-2025-50151 impacting all versions through 5.4.0. These issues, announced on July 21, 2025, stem from flaws in the Fuseki administrative interface and could allow authenticated administrative users to bypass file system restrictions. Both vulnerabilities pose significant security risks and have prompted an immediate upgrade recommendation to version 5.5.0, which addresses the underlying weaknesses.

CVE-2025-49656 is a classic directory traversal vulnerability that allows administrative users to create database files outside the designated server directory via the admin UI. This flaw results from poor path sanitization during database creation operations, specifically through the use of unvalidated directory path strings in POST requests. Attackers with admin access can exploit this by injecting path traversal sequences like ../ to access and write to arbitrary file locations. This could lead to severe consequences, such as unauthorized modification of server configurations, log poisoning, or in some configurations, even remote code execution.

CVE-2025-50151 affects the configuration file upload feature in the same admin interface. The vulnerability arises from the system’s failure to validate file path references within uploaded configuration files. This oversight allows administrative users to include references to sensitive or unintended file locations outside the intended application directory structure. The flaw lies in the configuration parser, which mishandles file path directives without enforcing strict boundary checks, potentially giving attackers access to critical system files or binaries.

Organizations using Apache Jena are strongly urged to upgrade to version 5.5.0 immediately, as it introduces stricter path validation and limits the scope of configuration uploads. Although both vulnerabilities require administrative access, the risks remain substantial in scenarios involving compromised admin credentials or insider threats. System administrators should review access logs for unusual file creation behaviors, enforce least-privilege access policies, and consider implementing filesystem-level access controls to mitigate potential exploitation and enhance overall security posture.

Impact

• Gain Access
• Code Execution

Indicators of Compromise

CVE

• CVE-2025-49656

• CVE-2025-50151

Affected Vendors

Remediation

• Refer to Apache Website for patch, upgrade, or suggested workaround information.
• Restrict administrative access to trusted personnel only; enforce strict access control policies.
• Monitor Fuseki admin logs for unusual file creation or upload activities that may indicate exploitation attempts.
• Implement filesystem-level access controls to prevent unauthorized file manipulation, even if admin UI is misused.
• Harden the server environment by disabling unnecessary admin features in production and using network segmentation.
• Regularly test and audit the Fuseki admin interface to identify any misconfigurations or unexpected behavior.
• Review uploaded configuration files and ensure no unauthorized file paths or directives are present.
• Enable alerting for suspicious file system changes outside the intended application directory.