CVE-2020-21896

A Use After Free vulnerability in svg_dev_text_span_as_paths_defs function in source/fitz/svg...

5.5 MediumFix available

A Use After Free vulnerability in svg_dev_text_span_as_paths_defs function in source/fitz/svg-device.c in Artifex Software MuPDF 1.16.0 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via opening of a crafted PDF file.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector: Local
Complexity: Low
Privileges needed: None
User interaction: Required

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality: None
Integrity: None
Availability: High

Exploit likelihood

0.51%Up 0.5 points since Aug 23, 2023

What each source reports

NVD Score used 5.5

Record: CVE-2020-21896
CVSS 3.1: 5.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness: CWE-416
Updated: 2026-11-02

CVE List No score

Record: CVE-2020-21896
Updated: 2026-11-02

EUVDEUVD-2020-14662 No score

Record: EUVD-2020-14662
Updated: 2026-11-02

GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-99jc-cxpj-3838 5.5

A Use After Free vulnerability in svg_dev_text_span_as_paths_defs function in source/fitz/svg...

Record: GHSA-99jc-cxpj-3838
CVSS 3.1: 5.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness: CWE-416
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSV 5.5

Record: CVE-2020-21896
CVSS 3.1: 5.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2020-21896 5.5

Record: DEBIAN-CVE-2020-21896
CVSS 3.1: 5.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2020-21896 5.5

Record: UBUNTU-CVE-2020-21896
CVSS 3.1: 5.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVUSN-7825-1 No score

mupdf vulnerabilities

It was discovered that MuPDF incorrectly managed memory, resulting in a memory leak. An attacker could possibly use this issue to cause a denial of service. This issue only affected Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. (CVE-2018-1000036)

It was discovered that MuPDF could enter an infinite loop when parsing certain PDF files. An attacker could possibly use this issue to cause a denial of service. This issue only affected Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. (CVE-2018-10289)

It was discovered that MuPDF incorrectly managed memory, possibly leading to a segmentation fault. An attacker could possibly use this issue to cause a denial of service. This issue only affected Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. (CVE-2018-16647, CVE-2018-16648)

It was discovered that MuPDF contained a use-after-free vulnerability. An attacker could possibly use this issue to cause a denial of service. This issue only affected Ubuntu 18.04 LTS and Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. (CVE-2020-21896)

It was discovered that MuPDF incorrectly managed memory, resulting in a memory leak. An attacker could possibly use this issue to cause a denial of service or obtain sensitive information. This issue only affected Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. (CVE-2020-26683)

Maxim Mishechkin, Vitalii Akolzin, Shamil Kurmangaleev, Denis Straghkov, Fedor Nis'kov and Ivan Gulakov discovered that MuPDF incorrectly managed memory under certain circumstances, leading to a double-free. An attacker could possibly use this to cause a denial of service. This issue only affected Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, Ubuntu 18.04 LTS and Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. (CVE-2021-3407)

Xuwei Liu discovered that MuPDF may perform an out-of-bounds write under certain circumstances. An attacker could possibly use this issue to cause a denial of service. This issue only affected Ubuntu 18.04 LTS and Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. (CVE-2021-37220)

Record: USN-7825-1
Updated: 2026-11-02

Affected products

artifex mupdf

Affected packages

Affected packages
Package	Affected	Fixed
`mupdf` Debian:12	before 1.19.0+ds1-1	1.19.0+ds1-1
`mupdf` Debian:13	before 1.19.0+ds1-1	1.19.0+ds1-1
`mupdf` Debian:14	before 1.19.0+ds1-1	1.19.0+ds1-1
`mupdf` Debian:11	before 1.17.0+ds1-2+deb11u1, plus listed versions 1.17.0+ds1-2	1.17.0+ds1-2+deb11u1
`mupdf` Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS	before 1.12.0+ds1-1ubuntu0.1~esm1, plus listed versions 1.11+ds1-1.11.11+ds1-21.12.0+ds1-1	1.12.0+ds1-1ubuntu0.1~esm1
`mupdf` Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS	before 1.16.1+ds1-1ubuntu1+esm1, plus listed versions 1.15.0+ds1-11.16.1+ds1-1ubuntu1	1.16.1+ds1-1ubuntu1+esm1
`mupdf` Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS From an advisory covering 8 CVEs	before 1.7a-1ubuntu0.1~esm1, plus listed versions 1.7-11.7a-1	1.7a-1ubuntu0.1~esm1
`mupdf` Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS From an advisory covering 8 CVEs	before 1.12.0+ds1-1ubuntu0.1~esm1, plus listed versions 1.11+ds1-1.11.11+ds1-21.12.0+ds1-1	1.12.0+ds1-1ubuntu0.1~esm1
`mupdf` Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS From an advisory covering 8 CVEs	before 1.16.1+ds1-1ubuntu1+esm1, plus listed versions 1.15.0+ds1-11.16.1+ds1-1ubuntu1	1.16.1+ds1-1ubuntu1+esm1

History

History
Recorded	Changed	Sources
Nov 6, 2026	affected, facts
Nov 2, 2026	first indexed	CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2020-21896 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.5) in Artifex Mupdf, published August 22, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.51%, the 43rd percentile. Fixed in mupdf 1.19.0+ds1-1.

References

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