Uncontrolled recursion in DCMTK XML parser allows denial of service
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Passive
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-674.
Summary
The bundled XML parser in OFFIS DCMTK 3.7.0 recurses without limit on deeply nested elements (CWE-674). A local attacker with no privileges can exhaust the stack and crash the process by supplying a crafted XML document that a user must process.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-29
Description from the CNA
Uncontrolled recursion in XMLNode::ParseXMLElement() and XMLNode::emptyTheNode() in the bundled XML parser (ofstd/libsrc/ofxml.cc) of OFFIS DCMTK 3.7.0 allows an attacker to cause a denial of service (stack exhaustion and process crash) via a crafted XML document with deeply nested elements. The parser is reachable through dcmencap when encapsulating a CDA document, and through any application that calls OFXMLParser::parseFile() or OFXMLParser::parseString() on untrusted input. The issue is fixed in commit d12e350e687530eb41e2b0c860aff4d8c04e5941.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
The sources list no fixed version for DCMTK. The issue is fixed in commit d12e350e687530eb41e2b0c860aff4d8c04e5941.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-29
Vendor assessments
Timeline
- 2026-10-08 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-44033
- 2026-10-08 Alias added: GHSA-g7gr-959v-68f6
- 2026-10-09 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-09 CVSS score added · Red Hat
References
Patch 1
Advisory 1
More OFFIS vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-10943 OFFIS DCMTK ofxml.cc parseFile heap-based overflow CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 5.3
- TI-2025-08922 DCMTK dcm2img diybrpxt.h memory corruption CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 4.8
- TI-2022-04568 DCMTK dcmqrscp dcmqrcnf.cc readPeerList null pointer dereference CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 4.8
- TI-2020-18990 DCMTK dcmqrscp parseQuota stack-based overflow CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 4.8
- TI-2024-22823 dcmnet in DCMTK before 3.6.9 has a segmentation fault via an invalid DIMSE message. CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.3
- TI-2019-16028 Out-of-bounds write in OFFIS.de DCMTK CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
Sources
- CVE-2026-44033 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-44033 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-g7gr-959v-68f6 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-44033 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences