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CVE-2023-50262

Dompdf possible DoS caused by infinite recursion when parsing SVG images

5.3 MediumFix available

Dompdf is an HTML to PDF converter for PHP. When parsing SVG images Dompdf performs an initial validation to ensure that paths within the SVG are allowed. One of the validations is that the SVG document does not reference itself. However, prior to version 2.0.4, a recursive chained using two or more SVG documents is not correctly validated. Depending on the system configuration and attack pattern this could exhaust the memory available to the executing process and/or to the server itself.

php-svg-lib, when run in isolation, does not support SVG references for image elements. However, when used in combination with Dompdf, php-svg-lib will process SVG images referenced by an image element. Dompdf currently includes validation to prevent self-referential image references, but a chained reference is not checked. A malicious actor may thus trigger infinite recursion by chaining references between two or more SVG images.

When Dompdf parses a malicious payload, it will crash due after exceeding the allowed execution time or memory usage. An attacker sending multiple request to a system can potentially cause resource exhaustion to the point that the system is unable to handle incoming request.

Version 2.0.4 contains a fix for this issue.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
None
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
Low

Exploit likelihood

1.46%Up 1.4 points since Dec 14, 2023
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 5.3

Dompdf possible DoS caused by infinite recursion when parsing SVG images

Dompdf is an HTML to PDF converter for PHP. When parsing SVG images Dompdf performs an initial validation to ensure that paths within the SVG are allowed. One of the validations is that the SVG document does not reference itself. However, prior to version 2.0.4, a recursive chained using two or more SVG documents is not correctly validated. Depending on the system configuration and attack pattern this could exhaust the memory available to the executing process and/or to the server itself.

php-svg-lib, when run in isolation, does not support SVG references for image elements. However, when used in combination with Dompdf, php-svg-lib will process SVG images referenced by an image element. Dompdf currently includes validation to prevent self-referential image references, but a chained reference is not checked. A malicious actor may thus trigger infinite recursion by chaining references between two or more SVG images.

When Dompdf parses a malicious payload, it will crash due after exceeding the allowed execution time or memory usage. An attacker sending multiple request to a system can potentially cause resource exhaustion to the point that the system is unable to handle incoming request.

Version 2.0.4 contains a fix for this issue.

Record
CVE-2023-50262
CVSS 3.1
5.3 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
Weakness
CWE-20, CWE-674
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-3086 5.3

Dompdf is an HTML to PDF converter for PHP. When parsing SVG images Dompdf performs an initial validation to ensure that paths within the SVG are allowed. One of the validations is that the SVG document does not reference itself. However, prior to version 2.0.4, a recursive chained using two or more SVG documents is not correctly validated. Depending on the system configuration and attack pattern this could exhaust the memory available to the executing process and/or to the server itself.

php-svg-lib, when run in isolation, does not support SVG references for image elements. However, when used in combination with Dompdf, php-svg-lib will process SVG images referenced by an image element. Dompdf currently includes validation to prevent self-referential image references, but a chained reference is not checked. A malicious actor may thus trigger infinite recursion by chaining references between two or more SVG images.

When Dompdf parses a malicious payload, it will crash due after exceeding the allowed execution time or memory usage. An attacker sending multiple request to a system can potentially cause resource exhaustion to the point that the system is unable to handle incoming request.

Version 2.0.4 contains a fix for this issue.

Record
EUVD-2023-3086
CVSS 3.1
5.3 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-3qx2-6f78-w2j2 5.3

Denial of service caused by infinite recursion when parsing SVG images

Summary

When parsing SVG images Dompdf performs an initial validation to ensure that paths within the SVG are allowed. One of the validations is that the SVG document does not reference itself. However, a recursive chained using two or more SVG documents is not correctly validated. Depending on the system configuration and attack pattern this could exhaust the memory available to the executing process and/or to the server itself.

Details

php-svg-lib, when run in isolation, does not support SVG references for image elements. An SVG document can, however, be referenced and Dompdf will run that reference through the same validation. Dompdf currently includes validation to prevent self-referential image references, but a chained reference is not checked. A malicious actor may thus trigger infinite recursion in the validation process by chaining references between two or more SVG images.

PoC

This following sources can be used to bypass validation provided by Dompdf:

recurse.html

<img src="one.svg">

one.svg

<svg width="200" height="200" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
  <image href="two.svg" />
</svg>

two.svg

<svg width="200" height="200" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
  <image href="one.svg" />
</svg>

Impact

When Dompdf parses the above payload, it will crash due after exceeding the allowed execution time or memory usage. An attacker sending multiple request to a system can potentially cause resource exhaustion to the point that the system is unable to handle incoming request.

Record
GHSA-3qx2-6f78-w2j2
CVSS 3.1
5.3 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
Weakness
CWE-20
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 5.3

Dompdf is an HTML to PDF converter for PHP. When parsing SVG images Dompdf performs an initial validation to ensure that paths within the SVG are allowed. One of the validations is that the SVG document does not reference itself. However, prior to version 2.0.4, a recursive chained using two or more SVG documents is not correctly validated. Depending on the system configuration and attack pattern this could exhaust the memory available to the executing process and/or to the server itself.

php-svg-lib, when run in isolation, does not support SVG references for image elements. However, when used in combination with Dompdf, php-svg-lib will process SVG images referenced by an image element. Dompdf currently includes validation to prevent self-referential image references, but a chained reference is not checked. A malicious actor may thus trigger infinite recursion by chaining references between two or more SVG images.

When Dompdf parses a malicious payload, it will crash due after exceeding the allowed execution time or memory usage. An attacker sending multiple request to a system can potentially cause resource exhaustion to the point that the system is unable to handle incoming request.

Version 2.0.4 contains a fix for this issue.

Record
CVE-2023-50262
CVSS 3.1
5.3 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness
CWE-20, CWE-674
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 5.3

Dompdf possible DoS caused by infinite recursion when parsing SVG images

Dompdf is an HTML to PDF converter for PHP. When parsing SVG images Dompdf performs an initial validation to ensure that paths within the SVG are allowed. One of the validations is that the SVG document does not reference itself. However, prior to version 2.0.4, a recursive chained using two or more SVG documents is not correctly validated. Depending on the system configuration and attack pattern this could exhaust the memory available to the executing process and/or to the server itself.

php-svg-lib, when run in isolation, does not support SVG references for image elements. However, when used in combination with Dompdf, php-svg-lib will process SVG images referenced by an image element. Dompdf currently includes validation to prevent self-referential image references, but a chained reference is not checked. A malicious actor may thus trigger infinite recursion by chaining references between two or more SVG images.

When Dompdf parses a malicious payload, it will crash due after exceeding the allowed execution time or memory usage. An attacker sending multiple request to a system can potentially cause resource exhaustion to the point that the system is unable to handle incoming request.

Version 2.0.4 contains a fix for this issue.

Record
CVE-2023-50262
CVSS 3.1
5.3 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
Weakness
CWE-20, CWE-674
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2023-50262 7.5

Dompdf is an HTML to PDF converter for PHP. When parsing SVG images Dompdf performs an initial validation to ensure that paths within the SVG are allowed. One of the validations is that the SVG document does not reference itself. However, prior to version 2.0.4, a recursive chained using two or more SVG documents is not correctly validated. Depending on the system configuration and attack pattern this could exhaust the memory available to the executing process and/or to the server itself. php-svg-lib, when run in isolation, does not support SVG references for image elements. However, when used in combination with Dompdf, php-svg-lib will process SVG images referenced by an image element. Dompdf currently includes validation to prevent self-referential image references, but a chained reference is not checked. A malicious actor may thus trigger infinite recursion by chaining references between two or more SVG images. When Dompdf parses a malicious payload, it will crash due after exceeding the allowed execution time or memory usage. An attacker sending multiple request to a system can potentially cause resource exhaustion to the point that the system is unable to handle incoming request. Version 2.0.4 contains a fix for this issue.

Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2023-50262
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-3qx2-6f78-w2j2 5.3

Denial of service caused by infinite recursion when parsing SVG images

Summary

When parsing SVG images Dompdf performs an initial validation to ensure that paths within the SVG are allowed. One of the validations is that the SVG document does not reference itself. However, a recursive chained using two or more SVG documents is not correctly validated. Depending on the system configuration and attack pattern this could exhaust the memory available to the executing process and/or to the server itself.

Details

php-svg-lib, when run in isolation, does not support SVG references for image elements. An SVG document can, however, be referenced and Dompdf will run that reference through the same validation. Dompdf currently includes validation to prevent self-referential image references, but a chained reference is not checked. A malicious actor may thus trigger infinite recursion in the validation process by chaining references between two or more SVG images.

PoC

This following sources can be used to bypass validation provided by Dompdf:

recurse.html

<img src="one.svg">

one.svg

<svg width="200" height="200" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
  <image href="two.svg" />
</svg>

two.svg

<svg width="200" height="200" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
  <image href="one.svg" />
</svg>

Impact

When Dompdf parses the above payload, it will crash due after exceeding the allowed execution time or memory usage. An attacker sending multiple request to a system can potentially cause resource exhaustion to the point that the system is unable to handle incoming request.

Record
GHSA-3qx2-6f78-w2j2
CVSS 3.1
5.3 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
Weakness
CWE-20
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVCLSA-2025-1766019429 No score

TuxCare security update for dompdf/dompdf (7 CVEs)

TuxCare rebuilt dompdf/dompdf to address 7 CVEs. Fixed in 1.2.2-p1+tuxcare.

Record
CLSA-2025-1766019429
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVCLSA-2025-1766364765 No score

TuxCare security update for dompdf/dompdf (8 CVEs)

TuxCare rebuilt dompdf/dompdf to address 8 CVEs. Fixed in 0.8.6-p1+tuxcare.

Record
CLSA-2025-1766364765
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
dompdf/dompdf
Packagist
before 2.0.4
2.0.4
dompdf/dompdf
TuxCare:Packagist
From an advisory covering 7 CVEs
v1.2.2 up to 1.2.2-p1+tuxcare
1.2.2-p1+tuxcare
dompdf/dompdf
TuxCare:Packagist
From an advisory covering 8 CVEs
0.8.6 up to 0.8.6-p1+tuxcare
0.8.6-p1+tuxcare
php-dompdf
Debian:12
before 2.0.3+dfsg-1+deb12u1, plus listed versions
2.0.3+dfsg-1
2.0.3+dfsg-1+deb12u1
dompdf/dompdf
Packagist
before 2.0.4, plus listed versions
v0.6.0v0.6.1v0.6.2v0.7.0v0.7.0-beta
Show 21 moreShow less
v0.7.0-beta2v0.7.0-beta3v0.8.0v0.8.1v0.8.2v0.8.3v0.8.4v0.8.5v0.8.6v1.0.0v1.0.1v1.0.2v1.1.0v1.1.1v1.2.0v1.2.1v1.2.2v2.0.0v2.0.1v2.0.2v2.0.3
2.0.4

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
affected, facts
aliases, publishedEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

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

In short

CVE-2023-50262 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.3) in Dompdf, published December 13, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.46%, the 73rd percentile. Fixed in dompdf/dompdf 2.0.4.

References

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