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TI-2026-38759 Aliases CVE-2026-53752GHSA-gc95-3vw8-vg43

docx4j: Stack Overflow via Cyclic `w:basedOn` Style Chain leads to Denial of Service

Priority MEDIUM 40CWE-674Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Denial of service
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
None · None · High
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-674.

Summary

docx4j is an open source Java library for creating, editing, and saving OpenXML packages, including DOCX, PPTX, and XLSX files. Prior to 11.5.14, PropertyResolver and adjacent helpers recursively follow the WordprocessingML w:basedOn style inheritance chain without cycle detection. A well-formed DOCX containing mutually based styles causes unbounded recursion in PropertyResolver.fillPPrStack and related effective-style resolution paths, resulting in StackOverflowError. Server-side conversion and table-of-contents processing of an untrusted document can terminate a worker thread, degrade a thread pool, or deny service, although isolation in disposable workers or safe containment of StackOverflowError can reduce the practical effect. The fix adds cyclic-style tracking and CyclicStylesException handling. This issue is fixed in version 11.5.14.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.0063 50th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed docx4j (plutext): 11.5.14docx4j-core (org.docx4j): 11.5.14+1 more product

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
Yes
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
plutextdocx4jbefore 11.5.1411.5.14Patch availableCNA
org.docx4jdocx4j-corebefore 11.5.1411.5.14Patch availableCNA
—org.docx4j:docx4j-core (Maven)before 11.5.1411.5.14Patch availableGHSA-gc95-3vw8-vg43
  • docx4j Vendorplutext Affected before 11.5.14 Fixed in 11.5.14 Patch available CNA
  • docx4j-core Vendororg.docx4j Affected before 11.5.14 Fixed in 11.5.14 Patch available CNA
  • org.docx4j:docx4j-core (Maven) Vendor— Affected before 11.5.14 Fixed in 11.5.14 Patch available GHSA-gc95-3vw8-vg43

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA docx4j (plutext) Fixed in 11.5.14
  • Fix · CNA docx4j-core (org.docx4j) Fixed in 11.5.14
  • Fix · GHSA-gc95-3vw8-vg43 org.docx4j:docx4j-core (Maven) Fixed in 11.5.14 Advisory →

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-53752
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-gc95-3vw8-vg43
  3. 2026-10-28 EPSS moved to the 50th–90th percentile

References

Other 5

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences