Arbitrary PDF actions via unescaped annotation color
Published Mar 18, 2026 · Updated Mar 18, 2026
PDF object injection in Parallax jsPDF before 4.2.1 allows remote attackers to embed arbitrary actions through a crafted annotation color. The FreeText branch of createAnnotation concatenates color into the /DS PDF string without escaping delimiters, allowing injected dictionaries and actions. Exploitation requires an application to pass attacker-controlled color data and a recipient to open or interact with the generated PDF, where the action executes in the reader's context.
Summary
What happened
PDF object injection in Parallax jsPDF before 4.2.1 allows remote attackers to embed arbitrary actions through a crafted annotation color. The FreeText branch of createAnnotation concatenates color into the /DS PDF string without escaping delimiters, allowing injected dictionaries and actions. Exploitation requires an application to pass attacker-controlled color data and a recipient to open or interact with the generated PDF, where the action executes in the reader's context.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-31898
- Published
- Mar 18, 2026
- Updated
- Mar 18, 2026
- Vendor
- Parallax
- Product
- jsPDF
- Classifications
- CWE-116, T1204.002
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Mar 18, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Mar 18, 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=< 4.2.1
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
- Vendor advisory createAnnotation demonstrationproof of concept · demonstrated
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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