How severe is CVE-2023-46250?

CVE-2023-46250 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.1, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2023-46250 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (15th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2023-46250?

CVE-2023-46250 affects Pypdf Project Pypdf. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2023-46250?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2023-46250 published?

CVE-2023-46250 was published on 2023-10-31 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2023-46250

CVE-2023-46250 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Pypdf Project Pypdf with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.1. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-835.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.1)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (15th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-835
Affected product: Pypdf Project Pypdf
Published: 2023-10-31
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

pypdf is a free and open-source pure-python PDF library. An attacker who uses a vulnerability present in versions 3.7.0 through 3.16.4 can craft a PDF which leads to an infinite loop. This infinite loop blocks the current process and can utilize a single core of the CPU by 100%. It does not affect memory usage. That is, for example, the case when the pypdf-user manipulates an incoming malicious PDF e.g. by merging it with another PDF or by adding annotations. The issue was fixed in version 3.17.0. As a workaround, apply the patch manually by modifying `pypdf/generic/_data_structures.py`.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-46250?: pypdf is a free and open-source pure-python PDF library. An attacker who uses a vulnerability present in versions 3.7.0 through 3.16.4 can craft a PDF which leads to an infinite loop. This infinite loop blocks the current process and can utilize a single core of the CPU by 100%. It does not affect memory usage. That is, for example, the case when the pypdf-user manipulates an incoming malicious PDF e.g. by merging it with another PDF or by adding annotations. The issue was fixed in version 3.17.0. As a workaround, apply the patch manually by modifying `pypdf/generic/_data_structures.py`.
How severe is CVE-2023-46250?: CVE-2023-46250 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.1, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2023-46250 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (15th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-46250?: CVE-2023-46250 affects Pypdf Project Pypdf. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-46250?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2023-46250 published?: CVE-2023-46250 was published on 2023-10-31 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:pypdf_project:pypdf:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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