CVE-2020-18972Public exploit

Local memory leak via crafted PDF parsing

Published Aug 25, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

PoDoFo 0.9.6 contains a disputed memory leak that local users trigger by opening a crafted PDF with podofopdfinfo. The report attributes retained PdfParser allocations to PdfMemDocument::Load after IsNextToken processes the malformed file. Processing requires user interaction; the project later could not reproduce the leak, questioned the proposed cause, and closed the ticket without a test case.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.76%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

PoDoFo 0.9.6 contains a disputed memory leak that local users trigger by opening a crafted PDF with podofopdfinfo. The report attributes retained PdfParser allocations to PdfMemDocument::Load after IsNextToken processes the malformed file. Processing requires user interaction; the project later could not reproduce the leak, questioned the proposed cause, and closed the ticket without a test case.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-18972
Published
Aug 25, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-668, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 25, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

4.3NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-668Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere
T1204.002Malicious File

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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