CVE-2020-23876Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Service interruption via unreleased linked-text allocations

Published Nov 10, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Memory leak in pdf2xml 2.0 allows remote attackers to interrupt document conversion by supplying a crafted PDF document. In TextPage::testLinkedText, processing the proof file leaves 4,850 bytes across 97 allocations unreleased at XmlOutputDev.cc line 1473. The crafted document must reach a pdf2xml conversion workflow; repeated triggering consumes memory without disclosing or modifying data.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability1.41%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in pdf2xml 2.0 allows remote attackers to interrupt document conversion by supplying a crafted PDF document. In TextPage::testLinkedText, processing the proof file leaves 4,850 bytes across 97 allocations unreleased at XmlOutputDev.cc line 1473. The crafted document must reach a pdf2xml conversion workflow; repeated triggering consumes memory without disclosing or modifying data.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-23876
Published
Nov 10, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 10, 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 vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P

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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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