CVE-2023-50262
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.
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
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 Medium
CVSS: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 Medium
CVSS: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 Medium
CVSS: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 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L - CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS: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 Medium
CVSS: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 High
CVSS: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 Medium
CVSS: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
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
dompdf/dompdfPackagist |
before 2.0.4 | 2.0.4 |
dompdf/dompdfTuxCare:Packagist From an advisory covering 7 CVEs |
v1.2.2 up to 1.2.2-p1+tuxcare | 1.2.2-p1+tuxcare |
dompdf/dompdfTuxCare:Packagist From an advisory covering 8 CVEs |
0.8.6 up to 0.8.6-p1+tuxcare | 0.8.6-p1+tuxcare |
php-dompdfDebian:12 |
before 2.0.3+dfsg-1+deb12u1, plus listed versions 2.0.3+dfsg-1 |
2.0.3+dfsg-1+deb12u1 |
dompdf/dompdfPackagist |
before 2.0.4, plus listed versions v0.6.0v0.6.1v0.6.2v0.7.0v0.7.0-beta Show 21 moreShow lessv0.7.0-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
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| affected, facts | ||
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE 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
github.com/dompdf/dompdf/security/advisories/GHSA-3qx2-6f78-w2j2
github.com/dompdf/dompdf/commit/41cbac16f3cf56affa49f06e8dae66d0eac2b593
github.com/dompdf/dompdf/blob/v2.0.3/src/Image/Cache.php
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-50262
github.com/FriendsOfPHP/security-advisories/blob/master/dompdf/dompdf/CVE-2023-50262.yaml
github.com/advisories/GHSA-3qx2-6f78-w2j2
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2023/50xxx/CVE-2023-50262.json
security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2023-50262
github.com/dompdf/dompdf