{"id":"CVE-2024-28244","aliases":["DEBIAN-CVE-2024-28244","EUVD-2024-0906","GHSA-cvr6-37gx-v8wc","UBUNTU-CVE-2024-28244"],"status":"published","title":"KaTeX's maxExpand bypassed by Unicode sub/superscripts","description":"KaTeX is a JavaScript library for TeX math rendering on the web. KaTeX users who render untrusted mathematical expressions could encounter malicious input using `\\def` or `\\newcommand` that causes a near-infinite loop, despite setting `maxExpand` to avoid such loops. KaTeX supports an option named maxExpand which aims to prevent infinitely recursive macros from consuming all available memory and/or triggering a stack overflow error. Unfortunately, support for \"Unicode (sub|super)script characters\" allows an attacker to bypass this limit. Each sub/superscript group instantiated a separate Parser with its own limit on macro executions, without inheriting the current count of macro executions from its parent. This has been corrected in KaTeX v0.16.10.","severity":{"version":"3.1","score":6.5,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H","level":"medium","assessor":"cna","from":"cve"},"epss":{"day":"2026-11-09","score":0.02155,"percentile":0.82296,"model":"v2026.06.15"},"facts":{"in_kev":false,"known_exploited":false,"public_exploit":false,"fix_available":true},"cwes":["CWE-606","CWE-674"],"published":"2024-03-25T19:38:29Z","modified":"2026-11-02T12:02:13Z","fixes":[{"ecosystem":"npm","package":"katex","fixed_in":["0.16.10"],"sources":["ghsa","osv"]},{"ecosystem":"Debian:13","package":"node-katex","fixed_in":["0.16.10+~cs6.1.0-1"],"sources":["osv"]},{"ecosystem":"Debian:14","package":"node-katex","fixed_in":["0.16.10+~cs6.1.0-1"],"sources":["osv"]}],"affected":[{"source":"ghsa","ecosystem":"npm","package":"katex","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0.15.4"},{"fixed":"0.16.10"}]}]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Debian:12","package":"node-katex","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["0.16.10+~cs6.1.0-1","0.16.10+~cs6.1.0-10","0.16.10+~cs6.1.0-2","0.16.10+~cs6.1.0-3","0.16.10+~cs6.1.0-4","0.16.10+~cs6.1.0-5","0.16.10+~cs6.1.0-6","0.16.10+~cs6.1.0-7","0.16.10+~cs6.1.0-8","0.16.10+~cs6.1.0-9","0.16.4+~cs6.1.0-1"]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Debian:13","package":"node-katex","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"0.16.10+~cs6.1.0-1"}]}]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Debian:14","package":"node-katex","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"0.16.10+~cs6.1.0-1"}]}]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"npm","package":"katex","ranges":[{"type":"SEMVER","events":[{"introduced":"0.15.4"},{"fixed":"0.16.10"}]}]}],"products":[{"vendor":"katex","product":"katex"}],"references":[{"url":"https://github.com/KaTeX/KaTeX/security/advisories/GHSA-cvr6-37gx-v8wc","tags":["x_refsource_CONFIRM","x_transferred","Third Party Advisory","advisory","web","report"]},{"url":"https://github.com/KaTeX/KaTeX/commit/085e21b5da05414efefa932570e7201a7c70e5b2","tags":["x_refsource_MISC","x_transferred","Patch","fix","web","report"]},{"url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-28244","tags":["advisory"]},{"url":"https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-cvr6-37gx-v8wc"},{"url":"https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2024/28xxx/CVE-2024-28244.json","tags":["advisory"]},{"url":"https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2024-28244","tags":["advisory"]},{"url":"https://github.com/KaTeX/KaTeX","tags":["package"]},{"url":"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2024-28244","tags":["report"]},{"url":"https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-28244","tags":["report"]}],"sources":{"cve":[{"id":"CVE-2024-28244","title":"KaTeX's maxExpand bypassed by Unicode sub/superscripts","description":"KaTeX is a JavaScript library for TeX math rendering on the web. KaTeX users who render untrusted mathematical expressions could encounter malicious input using `\\def` or `\\newcommand` that causes a near-infinite loop, despite setting `maxExpand` to avoid such loops. KaTeX supports an option named maxExpand which aims to prevent infinitely recursive macros from consuming all available memory and/or triggering a stack overflow error. Unfortunately, support for \"Unicode (sub|super)script characters\" allows an attacker to bypass this limit. Each sub/superscript group instantiated a separate Parser with its own limit on macro executions, without inheriting the current count of macro executions from its parent. This has been corrected in KaTeX v0.16.10.","status":"published","published":"2024-03-25T19:45:50.907Z","modified":"2024-08-02T00:48:49.553Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":6.5,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H","level":"medium","assessor":"cna"}],"cwes":["CWE-674"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T14:34:18.951288Z"}],"euvd":[{"id":"EUVD-2024-0906","description":"KaTeX is a JavaScript library for TeX math rendering on the web. KaTeX users who render untrusted mathematical expressions could encounter malicious input using `\\def` or `\\newcommand` that causes a near-infinite loop, despite setting `maxExpand` to avoid such loops. KaTeX supports an option named maxExpand which aims to prevent infinitely recursive macros from consuming all available memory and/or triggering a stack overflow error. Unfortunately, support for \"Unicode (sub|super)script characters\" allows an attacker to bypass this limit. Each sub/superscript group instantiated a separate Parser with its own limit on macro executions, without inheriting the current count of macro executions from its parent. This has been corrected in KaTeX v0.16.10.","status":"published","published":"2024-03-25T19:45:50Z","modified":"2024-08-02T00:48:49Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":6.5,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H","level":"medium"}],"updated_at":"2026-11-03T03:50:26.752963Z"}],"ghsa":[{"id":"GHSA-cvr6-37gx-v8wc","title":"KaTeX's maxExpand bypassed by Unicode sub/superscripts","description":"### Impact\nKaTeX users who render untrusted mathematical expressions could encounter malicious input using `\\def` or `\\newcommand` that causes a near-infinite loop, despite setting `maxExpand` to avoid such loops. This can be used as an availability attack, where e.g. a client rendering another user's KaTeX input will be unable to use the site due to memory overflow, tying up the main thread, or stack overflow.\n\n### Patches\nUpgrade to KaTeX v0.16.10 to remove this vulnerability.\n\n### Workarounds\nForbid inputs containing any of the characters `₊₋₌₍₎₀₁₂₃₄₅₆₇₈₉ₐₑₕᵢⱼₖₗₘₙₒₚᵣₛₜᵤᵥₓᵦᵧᵨᵩᵪ⁺⁻⁼⁽⁾⁰¹²³⁴⁵⁶⁷⁸⁹ᵃᵇᶜᵈᵉᵍʰⁱʲᵏˡᵐⁿᵒᵖʳˢᵗᵘʷˣʸᶻᵛᵝᵞᵟᵠᵡ` before passing them to KaTeX.\n(There is no easy workaround for the auto-render extension.)\n\n### Details\nKaTeX supports an option named `maxExpand` which aims to prevent infinitely recursive macros from consuming all available memory and/or triggering a stack overflow error. Unfortunately, [support for \"Unicode (sub|super)script characters\"](https://github.com/KaTeX/KaTeX/commit/d8fc35e6a97f8e561c723b93ad275cf5a7f3094a) allows an attacker to bypass this limit. Each sub/superscript group instantiated a separate Parser with its own limit on macro executions, without inheriting the current count of macro executions from its parent. This has been corrected in KaTeX v0.16.10.\n\n### For more information\nIf you have any questions or comments about this advisory:\n* Open an issue or security advisory in the [KaTeX repository](https://github.com/KaTeX/KaTeX/)\n* Email us at [katex-security@mit.edu](mailto:katex-security@mit.edu)","status":"published","published":"2024-03-25T19:38:29Z","modified":"2024-03-25T22:32:02Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":6.5,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H","level":"medium"}],"cwes":["CWE-606","CWE-674"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T14:37:41.821668Z"}],"nvd":[{"id":"CVE-2024-28244","description":"KaTeX is a JavaScript library for TeX math rendering on the web. KaTeX users who render untrusted mathematical expressions could encounter malicious input using `\\def` or `\\newcommand` that causes a near-infinite loop, despite setting `maxExpand` to avoid such loops. KaTeX supports an option named maxExpand which aims to prevent infinitely recursive macros from consuming all available memory and/or triggering a stack overflow error. Unfortunately, support for \"Unicode (sub|super)script characters\" allows an attacker to bypass this limit. Each sub/superscript group instantiated a separate Parser with its own limit on macro executions, without inheriting the current count of macro executions from its parent. This has been corrected in KaTeX v0.16.10.","status":"published","published":"2024-03-25T20:15:08.16Z","modified":"2026-06-17T07:21:15.19Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":6.5,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H","level":"medium","assessor":"secondary"}],"cwes":["CWE-674"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T14:09:43.052376Z"}],"osv":[{"id":"CVE-2024-28244","title":"KaTeX's maxExpand bypassed by Unicode sub/superscripts","description":"KaTeX is a JavaScript library for TeX math rendering on the web. KaTeX users who render untrusted mathematical expressions could encounter malicious input using `\\def` or `\\newcommand` that causes a near-infinite loop, despite setting `maxExpand` to avoid such loops. KaTeX supports an option named maxExpand which aims to prevent infinitely recursive macros from consuming all available memory and/or triggering a stack overflow error. Unfortunately, support for \"Unicode (sub|super)script characters\" allows an attacker to bypass this limit. Each sub/superscript group instantiated a separate Parser with its own limit on macro executions, without inheriting the current count of macro executions from its parent. This has been corrected in KaTeX v0.16.10.","status":"published","published":"2024-03-25T19:45:50.907Z","modified":"2026-10-28T02:30:26.211345284Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":6.5,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H","level":"medium"}],"cwes":["CWE-674"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T15:44:39.569658Z"},{"id":"DEBIAN-CVE-2024-28244","description":"KaTeX is a JavaScript library for TeX math rendering on the web. KaTeX users who render untrusted mathematical expressions could encounter malicious input using `\\def` or `\\newcommand` that causes a near-infinite loop, despite setting `maxExpand` to avoid such loops. KaTeX supports an option named maxExpand which aims to prevent infinitely recursive macros from consuming all available memory and/or triggering a stack overflow error. Unfortunately, support for \"Unicode (sub|super)script characters\" allows an attacker to bypass this limit. Each sub/superscript group instantiated a separate Parser with its own limit on macro executions, without inheriting the current count of macro executions from its parent. This has been corrected in KaTeX v0.16.10.","status":"published","published":"2024-03-25T20:15:08.16Z","modified":"2026-11-02T12:02:13.394735081Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":6.5,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H","level":"medium"}],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T15:45:42.530184Z"},{"id":"GHSA-cvr6-37gx-v8wc","title":"KaTeX's maxExpand bypassed by Unicode sub/superscripts","description":"### Impact\nKaTeX users who render untrusted mathematical expressions could encounter malicious input using `\\def` or `\\newcommand` that causes a near-infinite loop, despite setting `maxExpand` to avoid such loops. This can be used as an availability attack, where e.g. a client rendering another user's KaTeX input will be unable to use the site due to memory overflow, tying up the main thread, or stack overflow.\n\n### Patches\nUpgrade to KaTeX v0.16.10 to remove this vulnerability.\n\n### Workarounds\nForbid inputs containing any of the characters `₊₋₌₍₎₀₁₂₃₄₅₆₇₈₉ₐₑₕᵢⱼₖₗₘₙₒₚᵣₛₜᵤᵥₓᵦᵧᵨᵩᵪ⁺⁻⁼⁽⁾⁰¹²³⁴⁵⁶⁷⁸⁹ᵃᵇᶜᵈᵉᵍʰⁱʲᵏˡᵐⁿᵒᵖʳˢᵗᵘʷˣʸᶻᵛᵝᵞᵟᵠᵡ` before passing them to KaTeX.\n(There is no easy workaround for the auto-render extension.)\n\n### Details\nKaTeX supports an option named `maxExpand` which aims to prevent infinitely recursive macros from consuming all available memory and/or triggering a stack overflow error. Unfortunately, [support for \"Unicode (sub|super)script characters\"](https://github.com/KaTeX/KaTeX/commit/d8fc35e6a97f8e561c723b93ad275cf5a7f3094a) allows an attacker to bypass this limit. Each sub/superscript group instantiated a separate Parser with its own limit on macro executions, without inheriting the current count of macro executions from its parent. This has been corrected in KaTeX v0.16.10.\n\n### For more information\nIf you have any questions or comments about this advisory:\n* Open an issue or security advisory in the [KaTeX repository](https://github.com/KaTeX/KaTeX/)\n* Email us at [katex-security@mit.edu](mailto:katex-security@mit.edu)","status":"published","published":"2024-03-25T19:38:29Z","modified":"2026-09-10T03:50:10.28867778Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":6.5,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H","level":"medium"}],"cwes":["CWE-606","CWE-674"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T15:46:45.639885Z"},{"id":"UBUNTU-CVE-2024-28244","description":"KaTeX is a JavaScript library for TeX math rendering on the web. KaTeX users who render untrusted mathematical expressions could encounter malicious input using `\\def` or `\\newcommand` that causes a near-infinite loop, despite setting `maxExpand` to avoid such loops. KaTeX supports an option named maxExpand which aims to prevent infinitely recursive macros from consuming all available memory and/or triggering a stack overflow error. Unfortunately, support for \"Unicode (sub|super)script characters\" allows an attacker to bypass this limit. Each sub/superscript group instantiated a separate Parser with its own limit on macro executions, without inheriting the current count of macro executions from its parent. This has been corrected in KaTeX v0.16.10.","status":"withdrawn","published":"2024-03-25T20:15:00Z","modified":"2025-07-16T07:47:09.786586Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":6.5,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H","level":"medium"}],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T16:54:48.333535Z"}]}}