Summary
Deep Java Library path traversal issue
Deep Java Library (DJL) is an open-source, high-level, engine-agnostic Java framework for deep learning. DJL is designed to be easy to get started with and simple to use for Java developers. DJL provides a native Java development experience and functions like any other regular Java library.
DJL provides utilities for extracting tar and zip model archives that are used when loading models for use with DJL. These utilities were found to contain issues that do not protect against absolute path traversal during the extraction process.
Impacted versions: 0.1.0 - 0.31.0
Workarounds
Do not use model archive files from sources you do not trust. You should only use model archives from official sources like the DJL Model Zoo, or models that you have created and packaged yourself.
References
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory, we ask that you contact AWS/Amazon Security via our vulnerability reporting page [2] or directly via email to [email protected]. Please do not create a public GitHub issue.
[1] https://github.com/deepjavalibrary/djl/tree/v0.31.1
[2] https://aws.amazon.com/security/vulnerability-reporting
Impact
An issue exists with DJL's untar and unzip functionalities. Specifically, it is possible to create an archive on a Windows system, and when extracted on a MacOS or Linux system, write artifacts outside the intended destination during the extraction process. The reverse is also true for archives created on MacOS/Linux systems and extracted on Windows systems.
Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files. Typical impact: unauthorized file read or write outside the intended directory.
CVE-2025-0851 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (0.31.1); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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This issue has been patched in DJL 0.31.1 [1]
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2025-0851? CVE-2025-0851 is a critical-severity path traversal vulnerability in ai.djl:api (maven), affecting versions < 0.31.1. It is fixed in 0.31.1. Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files.
- How severe is CVE-2025-0851? CVE-2025-0851 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of ai.djl:api are affected by CVE-2025-0851? ai.djl:api (maven) versions < 0.31.1 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2025-0851? Yes. CVE-2025-0851 is fixed in 0.31.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2025-0851 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-0851 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2025-0851 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2025-0851? Upgrade
ai.djl:apito 0.31.1 or later.