GHSA-m2v9-299j-rv96 — pypdf
Fix: py-pdf/pypdf#3830GHSA-m2v9-299j-rv96 is a CWE-835 vulnerability in pypdf. A fix is available for pypdf — see the affected versions and patch details below.
pypdf: Possible infinite loop when processing outlines/bookmarks in writer
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 GHSA-m2v9-299j-rv96.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
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
Impact
An attacker who uses this vulnerability can craft a PDF which leads to an infinite loop. This requires merging a file with outlines into a writer.
Patches
This has been fixed in pypdf==6.13.0.
Workarounds
If you cannot upgrade yet, consider applying the changes from PR #3830.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐍PyPI | pypdf | all versions | 6.13.0pip install --upgrade 'pypdf==6.13.0' |
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 6.13.0 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-m2v9-299j-rv96 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like GHSA-m2v9-299j-rv96 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to GHSA-m2v9-299j-rv96. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-m2v9-299j-rv96 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-m2v9-299j-rv96 across PyPI dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.