GHSA-jp53-mhqp-8xcg: Pip/pypdf vulnerability

Published Sep 1, 2026
·
Updated

Impact

An attacker who uses this vulnerability can craft a PDF which leads to an infinite loop. This requires a (usually writing) code path where TreeObject.insertchild is involved.

Patches

This has been fixed in pypdf==6.16.0.

Workarounds

If you cannot upgrade yet, consider applying the changes from PR #3964.

Affected Software

1 affected componentFixes available
pip/pypdf<6.16.0
6.16.0

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade pip/pypdf to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.16.0
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade py-pdf/pypdf to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.16.0

Event History

Sep 1, 2026
Advisory Published
via GitHub·09:20 PM
Data Sourced
via GitHub·09:20 PM
DescriptionWeaknessAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

Which pypdf uses are exposed to this issue?

The issue requires a code path involving TreeObject.insert_child, usually during PDF-writing operations. Uses that do not invoke this path are not described as affected.

2

What does an attacker need to provide to trigger the problem?

An attacker needs to craft a PDF that reaches the affected TreeObject.insert_child code path. Successful triggering leads to an infinite loop.

3

What can I do if I cannot upgrade immediately?

Upgrade to pypdf 6.16.0, which includes the fix. If upgrading is not currently possible, apply the changes from PR #3964.

Contact

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