CVE-2026-68749Network attack vector

CPU exhaustion via quadratic CSS regex backtracking

Published Aug 6, 2026 · Updated Aug 6, 2026

Inefficient regex complexity in html_sanitize_ex before 1.4.5 and 1.5.0-rc.0 through 1.5.2 allows remote attackers to exhaust CPU. HtmlSanitizeEx.Scrubber.CSS.scrub/1 applies an unbounded property-name regex that repeatedly retries a required colon across long word-character runs. Exposure requires html5/1, an HTML5-derived custom scrubber, or direct CSS scrubber use; concurrent crafted inputs can make the hosting application unresponsive.

CVSS severity8.2
High
EPSS probability0.45%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Inefficient regex complexity in html_sanitize_ex before 1.4.5 and 1.5.0-rc.0 through 1.5.2 allows remote attackers to exhaust CPU. HtmlSanitizeEx.Scrubber.CSS.scrub/1 applies an unbounded property-name regex that repeatedly retries a required colon across long word-character runs. Exposure requires html5/1, an HTML5-derived custom scrubber, or direct CSS scrubber use; concurrent crafted inputs can make the hosting application unresponsive.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-68749
Published
Aug 6, 2026
Updated
Aug 6, 2026
Vendor
René Föhring
Product
html_sanitize_ex
Classifications
CWE-1333, CAPEC-492, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 6, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 6, 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=0.3.1 <1.5.3
  2. Affected versionversion=21f90012eb21aa36f4e3701b7547e12faf0f3c8b <4f4bd9eb254881462c0461fbab74b29188c2c133

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

René Föhring · html_sanitize_exversion=0.3.1 <1.5.3; version=21f90012eb21aa36f4e3701b7547e12faf0f3c8b <4f4bd9eb254881462c0461fbab74b29188c2c133

Published CVSS scores

7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
8.2Erlang Ecosystem FoundationCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA: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.

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

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-1333Inefficient Regular Expression Complexity
CAPEC-492Regular Expression Exponential Blowup
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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