GHSA-5QWM-7PVP-W988

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-05-19 19:50 – Updated: 2026-05-19 19:50
VLAI
Summary
OpenMcdf: Uncatchable infinite loop in DirectoryTree.TryGetDirectoryEntry on crafted CFB directory cycle
Details

Summary

The BST name-lookup loop in DirectoryTree.TryGetDirectoryEntry (OpenMcdf/DirectoryTree.cs:35-46) walks directory entries by repeatedly calling directories.TryGetSibling(child, siblingType, validateColor). A crafted CFB file with cyclic Left/Right sibling links among directory entries - constructed so the per-step BST-order check in TryGetSibling (DirectoryEntries.cs:84-85) is satisfied at every step - drives this while (child is not null) loop forever. There is no cycle detection in TryGetDirectoryEntry.

Details

The recent Brent's-algorithm commit (24f445a) protects DirectoryTreeEnumerator and works correctly for both attached repros - pure EnumerateEntries() throws FileFormatException: Directory tree contains a loop cleanly. The unprotected code path is the lookup-by-name loop, which is reached from multiple public APIs: - RootStorage.OpenStorage(name) / TryOpenStorage(name) - RootStorage.OpenStream(name) / TryOpenStream(name)

The second one matters most: typical consumers iterate EnumerateEntries() and call OpenStream(entry.Name) per Stream entry. With Brent's algorithm catching the enumeration cycle but not the per-entry lookup, callers can still hang as soon as they touch a streamed entry.

PoC

Two minimal repros attached, demonstrating the same lookup-loop bug reached via two different public APIs:

  • repro_lookup.cfb (5,632 bytes) - hangs on direct OpenStorage(name) for a name not present in the directory
  • repro_enumerate.cfb (7,936 bytes) - hangs on OpenStream(entry.Name) called for an entry returned by EnumerateEntries() (the common consumer pattern)

Repro 1 - OpenStorage(name)

using OpenMcdf;

using var fs = File.OpenRead("repro_lookup.cfb");
using var root = RootStorage.Open(fs);
root.TryOpenStorage("__substg1.0_3001001F", out _);
// process spins at 100% CPU; Ctrl+C required.

Repro 2 - OpenStream from inside an enumeration loop

using OpenMcdf;

using var fs = File.OpenRead("repro_enumerate.cfb");
using var root = RootStorage.Open(fs);
foreach (var entry in root.EnumerateEntries())   // safe: Brent's catches enumeration cycles
{
    if (entry.Type == EntryType.Stream)
        _ = root.OpenStream(entry.Name);          // hangs: lookup path has no cycle detection
}

Both processes will not terminate.

(Note: pure foreach (var entry in root.EnumerateEntries()) { } with no per-entry lookup is safe - Brent's algorithm in DirectoryTreeEnumerator catches the enumeration cycle and throws FileFormatException: Directory tree contains a loop. The hang only manifests once a name lookup is performed.)

repros.zip

Impact

A denial of service affecting any application that opens untrusted CFB files with OpenMcdf. A small crafted input with a cyclic directory tree reaches the unprotected BST name-lookup in DirectoryTree.TryGetDirectoryEntry, hit by any caller of OpenStorage / TryOpenStorage / OpenStream / TryOpenStream - including the very common pattern of iterating EnumerateEntries() and calling OpenStream(entry.Name) per Stream entry. The cycles bypass the per-step BST-order check in TryGetSibling, so no exception is thrown and try/catch cannot protect callers. The affected thread is unrecoverable without killing the process. Downstream CFB consumers (e.g. .msg-file parsers) inherit transitively.

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [
    {
      "database_specific": {
        "last_known_affected_version_range": "\u003c= 3.1.3"
      },
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "NuGet",
        "name": "OpenMcdf"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "3.1.4"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-45785"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-835"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2026-05-19T19:50:57Z",
    "nvd_published_at": null,
    "severity": "MODERATE"
  },
  "details": "### Summary\nThe BST name-lookup loop in `DirectoryTree.TryGetDirectoryEntry` (`OpenMcdf/DirectoryTree.cs:35-46`) walks directory entries by repeatedly calling `directories.TryGetSibling(child, siblingType, validateColor)`. A crafted CFB file with cyclic Left/Right sibling links among directory entries - constructed so the per-step BST-order check in `TryGetSibling` (`DirectoryEntries.cs:84-85`) is satisfied at every step - drives this `while (child is not null)` loop forever. There is no cycle detection in `TryGetDirectoryEntry`.\n\n### Details\nThe recent Brent\u0027s-algorithm commit ([`24f445a`](https://github.com/openmcdf/openmcdf/commit/24f445a557fc4f46461cf6d02d296cce16c293a0)) protects `DirectoryTreeEnumerator` and works correctly for both attached repros - pure `EnumerateEntries()` throws `FileFormatException: Directory tree contains a loop` cleanly. The unprotected code path is the lookup-by-name loop, which is reached from multiple public APIs:\n- `RootStorage.OpenStorage(name)` / `TryOpenStorage(name)`\n- `RootStorage.OpenStream(name)` / `TryOpenStream(name)`\n\nThe second one matters most: typical consumers iterate `EnumerateEntries()` and call `OpenStream(entry.Name)` per Stream entry. With Brent\u0027s algorithm catching the enumeration cycle but not the per-entry lookup, callers can still hang as soon as they touch a streamed entry.\n\n### PoC\nTwo minimal repros attached, demonstrating the same lookup-loop bug reached via two different public APIs:\n\n- `repro_lookup.cfb` (5,632 bytes) - hangs on direct `OpenStorage(name)` for a name not present in the directory\n- `repro_enumerate.cfb` (7,936 bytes) - hangs on `OpenStream(entry.Name)` called for an entry returned by `EnumerateEntries()` (the common consumer pattern)\n\n### Repro 1 - `OpenStorage(name)`\n\n```csharp\nusing OpenMcdf;\n\nusing var fs = File.OpenRead(\"repro_lookup.cfb\");\nusing var root = RootStorage.Open(fs);\nroot.TryOpenStorage(\"__substg1.0_3001001F\", out _);\n// process spins at 100% CPU; Ctrl+C required.\n```\n\n### Repro 2 - `OpenStream` from inside an enumeration loop\n\n```csharp\nusing OpenMcdf;\n\nusing var fs = File.OpenRead(\"repro_enumerate.cfb\");\nusing var root = RootStorage.Open(fs);\nforeach (var entry in root.EnumerateEntries())   // safe: Brent\u0027s catches enumeration cycles\n{\n    if (entry.Type == EntryType.Stream)\n        _ = root.OpenStream(entry.Name);          // hangs: lookup path has no cycle detection\n}\n```\n\nBoth processes will not terminate.\n\n(Note: pure `foreach (var entry in root.EnumerateEntries()) { }` with no per-entry lookup is **safe** - Brent\u0027s algorithm in `DirectoryTreeEnumerator` catches the enumeration cycle and throws `FileFormatException: Directory tree contains a loop`. The hang only manifests once a name lookup is performed.)\n\n[repros.zip](https://github.com/user-attachments/files/27084338/repros.zip)\n\n### Impact\nA denial of service affecting any application that opens untrusted CFB files with OpenMcdf. A small crafted input with a cyclic directory tree reaches the unprotected BST name-lookup in `DirectoryTree.TryGetDirectoryEntry`, hit by any caller of `OpenStorage` / `TryOpenStorage` / `OpenStream` / `TryOpenStream` - including the very common pattern of iterating `EnumerateEntries()` and calling `OpenStream(entry.Name)` per Stream entry. The cycles bypass the per-step BST-order check in `TryGetSibling`, so no exception is thrown and `try/catch` cannot protect callers. The affected thread is unrecoverable without killing the process. Downstream CFB consumers (e.g. `.msg`-file parsers) inherit transitively.",
  "id": "GHSA-5qwm-7pvp-w988",
  "modified": "2026-05-19T19:50:57Z",
  "published": "2026-05-19T19:50:57Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/openmcdf/openmcdf/security/advisories/GHSA-5qwm-7pvp-w988"
    },
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://github.com/openmcdf/openmcdf"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "OpenMcdf: Uncatchable infinite loop in DirectoryTree.TryGetDirectoryEntry on crafted CFB directory cycle"
}



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