CVE-2023-50262
highpriority · track · 31EPSS 0.015 · 73 %ileEUUSEPSS · scored 2026-10-27
Dompdf is an HTML to PDF converter for PHP. When parsing SVG images Dompdf performs an initial validation to ensure that paths within the SVG are allowed. One of the validations is that the SVG document does not reference itself. However, prior to version 2.0.4, a recursive chained using two or more SVG documents is not correctly validated. Depending on the system configuration and attack pattern this could exhaust the memory available to the executing process and/or to the server itself. php-svg-lib, when run in isolation, does not support SVG references for `image` elements. However, when used in combination with Dompdf, php-svg-lib will process SVG images referenced by an `image` element. Dompdf currently includes validation to prevent self-referential `image` references, but a chained reference is not checked. A malicious actor may thus trigger infinite recursion by chaining references between two or more SVG images. When Dompdf parses a malicious payload, it will crash due after exceeding the allowed execution time or memory usage. An attacker sending multiple request to a system can potentially cause resource exhaustion to the point that the system is unable to handle incoming request. Version 2.0.4 contains a fix for this issue.
cvss
Technical severity, 0–10. One row per scoring source.
base score 0–10 · higher = more severe · hover a vector to decode⚠ sources disagree · medium–high · 5.3–7.5
weaknesses
The CWE weakness classes this flaw belongs to.
affected products (3)
Products and version ranges known to be affected.
advisories (1)
Vendor and ecosystem advisories describing this.
- GHSA-3qx2-6f78-w2j2Denial of service caused by infinite recursion when parsing SVG images2023-12-13ghsa · osvUS
### Summary When parsing SVG images Dompdf performs an initial validation to ensure that paths within the SVG are allowed. One of the validations is that the [SVG document does not reference itself](https://github.com/dompdf/dompdf/blob/v2.0.3/src/Image/Cache.php#L136-L153). However, a recursive chained using two or more SVG documents is not correctly validated. Depending on the system configuration and attack pattern this could exhaust the memory available to the executing process and/or to the server itself. ### Details php-svg-lib, when run in isolation, does not support SVG references for `image` elements. An SVG document can, however, be referenced and Dompdf will run that reference through the same validation. Dompdf currently includes validation to prevent self-referential `image` references, but a chained reference is not checked. A malicious actor may thus trigger infinite recursion in the validation process by chaining references between two or more SVG images. ### PoC This following sources can be used to bypass validation provided by Dompdf: recurse.html ``` <img src="one.svg"> ``` one.svg ``` <svg width="200" height="200" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <image href="two.svg" /> </svg> ``` two.svg ``` <svg width="200" height="200" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <image href="one.svg" /> </svg> ``` ### Impact When Dompdf parses the above payload, it will crash due after exceeding the allowed execution time or memory usage. An attacker sending multiple request to a system can potentially cause resource exhaustion to the point that the system is unable to handle incoming request.
also known as (3)
Other names and identifiers for this entity.
sources
Which sources assert this record, and when.
references (10)
External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.
- https://cxsecurity.com/cveshow/CVE-2023-50262/cnnvd
- https://github.com/dompdf/dompdf/blob/v2.0.3/src/Image/Cache.php#L136-L153cnnvd
- https://github.com/dompdf/dompdf/commit/41cbac16f3cf56affa49f06e8dae66d0eac2b593cnnvd
- https://github.com/dompdf/dompdf/security/advisories/GHSA-3qx2-6f78-w2j2cnnvd
- https://github.com/dompdf/dompdf/blob/v2.0.3/src/Image/Cache.php#L136-L153enisa_euvd
- https://github.com/dompdf/dompdf/commit/41cbac16f3cf56affa49f06e8dae66d0eac2b593enisa_euvd
- https://github.com/dompdf/dompdf/security/advisories/GHSA-3qx2-6f78-w2j2enisa_euvd
- https://github.com/dompdf/dompdf/blob/v2.0.3/src/Image/Cache.php#L136-L153Productnvd
Attackers weaponise vulnerabilities like this against internet-exposed services. See what is exposed on your perimeter with a free passive scan.
Free scan