Vulnerability-Lookup

FKIE_CVE-2023-36810

Vulnerability from fkie_nvd - Published: 2023-06-30 19:15 - Updated: 2026-06-17 06:07

Severity

6.2 (Medium) - CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
6.5 (Medium) - CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Summary

pypdf is a pure-python PDF library capable of splitting, merging, cropping, and transforming the pages of PDF files. An attacker who uses this vulnerability can craft a PDF which leads to unexpected long runtime. This quadratic runtime blocks the current process and can utilize a single core of the CPU by 100%. It does not affect memory usage. This issue has been addressed in PR 808 and versions from 1.27.9 include this fix. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.

References

URL	Tags
security-advisories@github.com	https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/issues/582	Exploit, Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory
security-advisories@github.com	https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/pull/808	Patch
security-advisories@github.com	https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/security/advisories/GHSA-jrm6-h9cq-8gqw	Exploit, Patch, Vendor Advisory
security-advisories@github.com	https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/07/msg00019.html
af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108	https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/issues/582	Exploit, Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory
af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108	https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/pull/808	Patch
af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108	https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/security/advisories/GHSA-jrm6-h9cq-8gqw	Exploit, Patch, Vendor Advisory
af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108	https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/07/msg00019.html

Impacted products

	Vendor	Product	Version
	pypdf_project	pypdf	*

JSON

To clipboard

{
  "affected": [
    {
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "product": "pypdf",
          "vendor": "py-pdf",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "\u003c 1.27.9"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "source": "security-advisories@github.com"
    }
  ],
  "configurations": [
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:pypdf_project:pypdf:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "matchCriteriaId": "E7E21A1C-3663-459B-B3ED-3242B677FDCD",
              "versionEndIncluding": "1.27.8",
              "vulnerable": true
            }
          ],
          "negate": false,
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "cveTags": [],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "pypdf is a pure-python PDF library capable of splitting, merging, cropping, and transforming the pages of PDF files. An attacker who uses this vulnerability can craft a PDF which leads to unexpected long runtime. This quadratic runtime blocks the current process and can utilize a single core of the CPU by 100%. It does not affect memory usage. This issue has been addressed in PR 808 and versions from 1.27.9 include this fix. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability."
    }
  ],
  "id": "CVE-2023-36810",
  "lastModified": "2026-06-17T06:07:07.467",
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV31": [
      {
        "cvssData": {
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "attackVector": "LOCAL",
          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
          "baseScore": 6.2,
          "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
          "confidentialityImpact": "NONE",
          "integrityImpact": "NONE",
          "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
          "version": "3.1"
        },
        "exploitabilityScore": 2.5,
        "impactScore": 3.6,
        "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
        "type": "Secondary"
      },
      {
        "cvssData": {
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "attackVector": "NETWORK",
          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
          "baseScore": 6.5,
          "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
          "confidentialityImpact": "NONE",
          "integrityImpact": "NONE",
          "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "userInteraction": "REQUIRED",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
          "version": "3.1"
        },
        "exploitabilityScore": 2.8,
        "impactScore": 3.6,
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "type": "Primary"
      }
    ],
    "ssvcV203": [
      {
        "source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
        "ssvcData": {
          "id": "CVE-2023-36810",
          "options": [
            {
              "exploitation": "none"
            },
            {
              "automatable": "no"
            },
            {
              "technicalImpact": "partial"
            }
          ],
          "role": "CISA Coordinator",
          "timestamp": "2024-11-04T21:19:20.245358Z",
          "version": "2.0.3"
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  "published": "2023-06-30T19:15:09.357",
  "references": [
    {
      "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Issue Tracking",
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "url": "https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/issues/582"
    },
    {
      "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
      "tags": [
        "Patch"
      ],
      "url": "https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/pull/808"
    },
    {
      "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Patch",
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "url": "https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/security/advisories/GHSA-jrm6-h9cq-8gqw"
    },
    {
      "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
      "url": "https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/07/msg00019.html"
    },
    {
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Issue Tracking",
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "url": "https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/issues/582"
    },
    {
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
      "tags": [
        "Patch"
      ],
      "url": "https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/pull/808"
    },
    {
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Patch",
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "url": "https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/security/advisories/GHSA-jrm6-h9cq-8gqw"
    },
    {
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
      "url": "https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/07/msg00019.html"
    }
  ],
  "sourceIdentifier": "security-advisories@github.com",
  "vulnStatus": "Modified",
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-407"
        }
      ],
      "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
      "type": "Secondary"
    }
  ]
}

CVE-2023-36810 (GCVE-0-2023-36810)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2023-06-30 18:43 – Updated: 2025-02-13 16:56

Title

Quadratic runtime with malformed PDF missing xref marker in pypdf

Summary

Severity

6.2 (Medium)


                        
                          CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

SSVC

Exploitation: none Automatable: no Technical Impact: partial

CISA Coordinator · CISA-ADP (v2.0.3)

Decision recorded 2024-11-04 21:19 UTC

CWE

CWE-407 - Inefficient Algorithmic Complexity

Assigner

GitHub_M CNA under the mitre root

CNA scorecard C 72/100 over 7658 records in the last 180 days details

References

4 references

URL	Tags
https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/security/advisori…	x_refsource_CONFIRM
https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/issues/582	x_refsource_MISC
https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/pull/808	x_refsource_MISC
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023…

Impacted products

1 product

Vendor	Product	Version
py-pdf	pypdf	Affected: < 1.27.9

Show details on NVD website

JSON

To clipboard

{
  "containers": {
    "adp": [
      {
        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2024-08-02T17:01:09.825Z",
          "orgId": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
          "shortName": "CVE"
        },
        "references": [
          {
            "name": "https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/security/advisories/GHSA-jrm6-h9cq-8gqw",
            "tags": [
              "x_refsource_CONFIRM",
              "x_transferred"
            ],
            "url": "https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/security/advisories/GHSA-jrm6-h9cq-8gqw"
          },
          {
            "name": "https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/issues/582",
            "tags": [
              "x_refsource_MISC",
              "x_transferred"
            ],
            "url": "https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/issues/582"
          },
          {
            "name": "https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/pull/808",
            "tags": [
              "x_refsource_MISC",
              "x_transferred"
            ],
            "url": "https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/pull/808"
          },
          {
            "tags": [
              "x_transferred"
            ],
            "url": "https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/07/msg00019.html"
          }
        ],
        "title": "CVE Program Container"
      },
      {
        "metrics": [
          {
            "other": {
              "content": {
                "id": "CVE-2023-36810",
                "options": [
                  {
                    "Exploitation": "none"
                  },
                  {
                    "Automatable": "no"
                  },
                  {
                    "Technical Impact": "partial"
                  }
                ],
                "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                "timestamp": "2024-11-04T21:19:20.245358Z",
                "version": "2.0.3"
              },
              "type": "ssvc"
            }
          }
        ],
        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2024-11-04T21:20:21.536Z",
          "orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
          "shortName": "CISA-ADP"
        },
        "title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
      }
    ],
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "product": "pypdf",
          "vendor": "py-pdf",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "\u003c 1.27.9"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "pypdf is a pure-python PDF library capable of splitting, merging, cropping, and transforming the pages of PDF files. An attacker who uses this vulnerability can craft a PDF which leads to unexpected long runtime. This quadratic runtime blocks the current process and can utilize a single core of the CPU by 100%. It does not affect memory usage. This issue has been addressed in PR 808 and versions from 1.27.9 include this fix. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "attackComplexity": "LOW",
            "attackVector": "LOCAL",
            "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
            "baseScore": 6.2,
            "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
            "confidentialityImpact": "NONE",
            "integrityImpact": "NONE",
            "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
            "scope": "UNCHANGED",
            "userInteraction": "NONE",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
          }
        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "cweId": "CWE-407",
              "description": "CWE-407: Inefficient Algorithmic Complexity",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2023-07-14T22:06:10.625Z",
        "orgId": "a0819718-46f1-4df5-94e2-005712e83aaa",
        "shortName": "GitHub_M"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/security/advisories/GHSA-jrm6-h9cq-8gqw",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_CONFIRM"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/security/advisories/GHSA-jrm6-h9cq-8gqw"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/issues/582",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/issues/582"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/pull/808",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/py-pdf/pypdf/pull/808"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/07/msg00019.html"
        }
      ],
      "source": {
        "advisory": "GHSA-jrm6-h9cq-8gqw",
        "discovery": "UNKNOWN"
      },
      "title": "Quadratic runtime with malformed PDF missing xref marker in pypdf"
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "a0819718-46f1-4df5-94e2-005712e83aaa",
    "assignerShortName": "GitHub_M",
    "cveId": "CVE-2023-36810",
    "datePublished": "2023-06-30T18:43:12.801Z",
    "dateReserved": "2023-06-27T15:43:18.383Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2025-02-13T16:56:24.866Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.1"
}

Sightings

Author	Source	Type	Date	Other

Nomenclature

Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.

Vulnerability timeline

Sightings and recorded dates, grouped by day · UTC

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The MITRE ATT&CK techniques below are AI-generated suggestions, inferred from the description of the vulnerability by the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-classification-roberta-base model, served locally by ML-Gateway. They have not been verified by an analyst and are provided for guidance only.
The approach is described in our paper Mapping CVEs to MITRE ATT&CK Techniques: A Curated Gold-Set Classifier and the Limits of LLM-Assisted Label Expansion.
Browse all ATT&CK techniques and the vulnerabilities related to each.

Related by attack behaviour

Vulnerabilities whose description is nearest to this one in the vector space of the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-biencoder model. This is a similarity search over the bi-encoder space (plain cosine), not a classification, and it has no measured accuracy.

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