CVE-2026-28804: pypdf: Inefficient decoding of ASCIIHexDecode streams

Published Mar 2, 2026
·
Updated

Impact An attacker who uses this vulnerability can craft a PDF which leads to long runtimes. This requires accessing a stream which uses the /ASCIIHexDecode filter.

Patches This has been fixed in pypdf==6.7.5.

Workarounds If you cannot upgrade yet, consider applying the changes from PR #3666.

Other sources

pypdf is a free and open-source pure-python PDF library. Prior to version 6.7.5, an attacker who uses this vulnerability can craft a PDF which leads to long runtimes. This requires accessing a stream which uses the /ASCIIHexDecode filter. This issue has been patched in version 6.7.5.

MITRE

Affected Software

2 affected componentsFixes available
pip/pypdf<6.7.5
6.7.5
Pypdf Project Pypdf<6.7.5

Event History

Mar 2, 2026
Advisory Published
via GitHub·10:03 PM
Data Sourced
via GitHub·10:03 PM
DescriptionWeaknessAffected Software
Mar 6, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·06:46 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·06:46 AM
DescriptionWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·07:16 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
May 22, 58164
Event
via FIRST·02:51 PM
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-28804?

CVE-2026-28804 has a moderate severity rating due to its potential for causing long runtimes through inefficient decoding.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-28804?

To fix CVE-2026-28804, update pypdf to version 6.7.5 or later.

3

What is the impact of CVE-2026-28804?

The impact of CVE-2026-28804 is that maliciously crafted PDF files can lead to significantly increased processing times.

4

Which versions of pypdf are affected by CVE-2026-28804?

CVE-2026-28804 affects versions of pypdf prior to 6.7.5.

5

What type of PDF streams does CVE-2026-28804 exploit?

CVE-2026-28804 exploits streams that use the /ASCIIHexDecode filter in PDF files.

Contact

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