Quadratic-time denial of service in Mistune via parse_link_text
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: 1 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-400.
Summary
Mistune from 3.0.0 before 3.3.0 contains an algorithmic complexity flaw in the inline link parser's parse_link_text function that lets unauthenticated remote attackers exhaust CPU. Attackers can submit Markdown with many unbalanced brackets, causing repeated unbounded scans that tie up worker processes for minutes (CWE-400).
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-02
Description from the CNA
Mistune from 3.0.0 before 3.3.0 contains an algorithmic complexity vulnerability in the inline link parser's parse_link_text function that allows unauthenticated attackers to exhaust CPU with unbalanced brackets. Attackers can submit Markdown containing many unbalanced '[' or '![' characters, forcing repeated unbounded forward scans and tying up worker processes for minutes.
Why it matters now
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
Remediation
Upgrade lepture mistune to version 3.3.0. Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI) is affected without a fix, and Red Hat has no plan for one yet.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-02
- Fix · CNA mistune (lepture) Fixed in 3.3.0
Fixed in the same release
Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.
- Release ·
lepture mistune 3.3.0
9 records Highest priority Priority HIGH 1 HIGH, 7 MEDIUM, 1 LOW
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2026-79440 Path traversal in Mistune include directive lets attackers read filesPriority HIGH 79
- TI-2026-79441 Path traversal in Mistune lets attackers read local filesPriority MEDIUM 64
- TI-2026-79438 CSS injection in Mistune figure directive figwidth optionPriority MEDIUM 57
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI) | Affected | No fix yet |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI)
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
Timeline
- 2026-10-22 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-115348
- 2026-10-22 Alias added: GHSA-h98w-84rc-h77q
- 2026-10-23 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-23 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-23 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
- 2026-10-24 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-24 Priority changed: LOW → MEDIUM
- 2026-11-02 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
More lepture vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-79440 Path traversal in Mistune include directive lets attackers read files CVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.2
- TI-2026-36755 Mistune: Potential DoS via quadratic-time parsing in parse_link_text CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
- TI-2026-25521 Mistune ReDoS in LINK_TITLE_RE allows denial of service with crafted Markdown titles CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
- TI-2026-53257 Mistune has Denial of Service — RecursionError via Excessive Emphasis Markers in Markdown CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2026-42736 Mistune block_parser: quadratic-time parsing on long lists of repeated reference-link definitions CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2026-42730 Regular expression denial of service in lepture mistune CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
Sources
- CVE-2026-115348 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-115348 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-h98w-84rc-h77q · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-115348 · 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