CVE-2026-102999 — pypdf
Fix: py-pdf/pypdf@6b10556CVE-2026-102999 is a Uncontrolled Resource Consumption vulnerability in pypdf. A fix is available for pypdf — see the affected versions and patch details below.
pypdf: Possible long runtimes with large amount of embedded files
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- CISA assesses this as automatable — exploitation doesn’t require manual, per-target effort, which raises the odds of mass scanning and opportunistic attacks.
- CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2026-102999.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
Real-World Exposure
pypdfReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects PyPI packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
pypdf is a free and open-source pure-python PDF library. Prior to 6.19.0, a crafted PDF containing many embedded files can cause the dictionary-based attachments API in pypdf/_doc_common.py to reparse the full attachment list for each content lookup, producing repeated work and long runtimes when an application accesses the embedded-file mapping. This issue is fixed in version 6.19.0.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐍PyPI | pypdf | all versions | 6.19.0pip install --upgrade 'pypdf==6.19.0' |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for pypdf, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update pypdf to 6.19.0 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2026-102999 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
Cap what an attacker can consume: apply request size, rate and timeout limits in front of the affected component, and run it with memory and CPU limits so exhaustion degrades one worker rather than the whole service.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
This Important impact flaw can consume excessive processing time when a Red Hat product accesses pypdf’s attachment mapping for a crafted PDF with many embedded files.
Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base, or stability.Source: Red Hat security advisory for CVE-2026-102999 (CC BY 4.0)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2026-102999 in your dependencies?
Find it across PyPI, including transitive dependencies.