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pypdf: Possible large memory usage when retrieving alphabetical page labels

Priority MEDIUM 44CWE-400Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Attack requirements
None
Impact type
Denial of service
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
None · None · High
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 5 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA, GitHub and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-400.

Summary

pypdf is a free and open-source pure-python PDF library. Prior to 6.19.0, a crafted PDF can provide unusually large alphabetical page-label values that cause pypdf/_page_labels.py to generate strings beyond a reasonable page-label length when an application retrieves document page labels, consuming excessive memory and potentially making the application unavailable. This issue is fixed in version 6.19.0.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00352 29th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial pypdf (py-pdf): 6.19.0pypdf (PyPI): 6.19.0Red Hat: 5 without a fix

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
py-pdfpypdfbefore 6.19.06.19.0Patch availableCNA
—pypdf (PyPI)before 6.19.06.19.0Patch availableGHSA-w23x-9jrw-r45c
  • pypdf Vendorpy-pdf Affected before 6.19.0 Fixed in 6.19.0 Patch available CNA
  • pypdf (PyPI) Vendor— Affected before 6.19.0 Fixed in 6.19.0 Patch available GHSA-w23x-9jrw-r45c

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:py-pdf:pypdf:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*before 6.19.0Vulnerablepy-pdf
  • cpe:2.3:a:py-pdf:pypdf:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 6.19.0 Vulnerable ·py-pdf

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA pypdf (py-pdf) Fixed in 6.19.0
  • Fix · GHSA-w23x-9jrw-r45c pypdf (PyPI) Fixed in 6.19.0 Advisory →

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Lightspeed CoreAffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2AffectedNo fix planned: Will not fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AI (RHEL AI) 3AffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI)AffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat Quay 3AffectedNo fix yet
Not affected: 2 products
  • Ansible Automation Orchestrator 2026
  • OpenShift Lightspeed

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-103000
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-w23x-9jrw-r45c
  3. 2026-10-05 CVSS score added · NVD

References

  • TI-2023-18601 Infinite Loop when reading malformed objects in pypdf CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
  • TI-2023-18305 Infinite Loop when a comment isn't followed by a character in pypdf CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.2
  • TI-2026-42743 pypdf: Possible infinite loop for not terminated inline images CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
  • TI-2026-42742 pypdf: Possible infinite loop for not terminated inline images (ASCII85 and ASCIIHex filter) CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
  • TI-2026-65556 pypdf: Possible long runtimes with large amount of embedded files CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
  • TI-2026-65555 pypdf: Possible long runtimes when generating appearance streams CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
See all 65 →

Sources