Long runtimes via unbounded FlateDecode recovery
Published Feb 20, 2026 · Updated Feb 20, 2026
Uncontrolled resource consumption in py-pdf pypdf before 6.7.1 allows attackers to cause long runtimes with a malformed PDF. The FlateDecode fallback in pypdf/filters.py processes malformed zlib input one byte at a time without bounding recovery attempts. The affected application must parse the crafted stream, which consumes processing time and delays or interrupts PDF handling.
Summary
What happened
Uncontrolled resource consumption in py-pdf pypdf before 6.7.1 allows attackers to cause long runtimes with a malformed PDF. The FlateDecode fallback in pypdf/filters.py processes malformed zlib input one byte at a time without bounding recovery attempts. The affected application must parse the crafted stream, which consumes processing time and delays or interrupts PDF handling.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-27026
- Published
- Feb 20, 2026
- Updated
- Feb 20, 2026
- Vendor
- py-pdf
- Product
- pypdf
- Classifications
- CWE-770, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 20, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 20, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=< 6.7.1
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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