CVE-2026-54531

Application hang via cyclic outline references

Published Jun 22, 2026 · Updated Jun 22, 2026

Denial of service in pypdf before 6.13.0 allows attackers to hang PDF-processing applications by merging a crafted PDF with outlines. PdfWriter._get_filtered_outline follows attacker-controlled /First and /Next outline references without tracking visited objects, so cyclic references never terminate. The path is reached only when an application merges the document into a writer with outline import enabled, and the affected process remains stuck.

CVSS severity6.9
Medium
EPSS probability0.17%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in pypdf before 6.13.0 allows attackers to hang PDF-processing applications by merging a crafted PDF with outlines. PdfWriter._get_filtered_outline follows attacker-controlled /First and /Next outline references without tracking visited objects, so cyclic references never terminate. The path is reached only when an application merges the document into a writer with outline import enabled, and the affected process remains stuck.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-54531
Published
Jun 22, 2026
Updated
Jun 22, 2026
Vendor
py-pdf
Product
pypdf
Classifications
CWE-835, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 22, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jun 22, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=< 6.13.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

py-pdf · pypdfversion=< 6.13.0

Published CVSS scores

6.9GitHub, Inc.CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-835Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop')
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

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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