CVE Intelligence
High

CVE-2026-115580 — pypdf: Possible long runtimes for large xref table header limits

pypdf is a free and open-source pure-python PDF library. Prior to 6.21.2, an attacker can craft a PDF with a standard cross-reference table whose declared entry count exceeds what the file can contain, causing excessive processing and long runtimes when the file is opened. This issue is fixed in version 6.21.2.

Published Oct 23, 2026 · Updated Oct 29, 2026 · Sources: CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP, NIST National Vulnerability Database, GitHub Security Advisories · CNA: GitHub_M

Who exploits it and how urgent it is

A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.

No exploitation signal in the sources consulted so far.
How the score was calculated
  • EPSS 0.4% (30-day exploitation probability)+5
  • Technical severity (high)+6

The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).

Triage

Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.

Exploitation
Not confirmed
Not in CISA KEV — an absence of record, not proof it is unexploited.
EPSS FIRST
0.41%
ahead of 35% of scored CVEs · Oct 29, 2026
Affects
Py-pdf
Pypdf
CVSS base
7.1
High · 2 source(s)

CISA SSVC assessment CISA

Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.

Exploitation
None
none · proof-of-concept · active
Automatable
No
can an attacker script the kill-chain steps
Technical impact
Partial
partial · total control of the vulnerable component

Remediation

Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.

  • Pip Pypdf: fixed in version 6.21.2 — github.com (GitHub Security Advisories)

First 24 hours

Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.

  1. Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Py-pdf Pypdf, Pip Pypdf).
  2. The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
  3. Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
  4. Exploitation requires user interaction: tighten email/web filtering and warn affected users.
  5. Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.

Affected scope

Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.

VendorProductVersionsStatusSource
Py-pdf Pypdf version < 6.21.2 Vulnerable CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
Pip Pypdf < 6.21.2 Vulnerable GitHub Security Advisories

Attack characteristics

The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Attack requirements
None
Privileges required
None
User interaction
Passive
Scope
X
Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
None
Integrity (vulnerable system)
None
Availability (vulnerable system)
High
Confidentiality (subsequent)
None
Integrity (subsequent)
None
Availability (subsequent)
None

Every base score collected

Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.

ScoreVersionSeverityExpl.ImpactScored by
7.1 CVSS 4.0 High — — security-advisories@github.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database
7.1 CVSS 4.0 High — — GitHub_M via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X (score shown at the top: security-advisories@github.com)

Weakness MITRE

Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.

CWE-834

Other CVEs with this weakness →

EPSS over time FIRST

Oct 24, 2026 → Oct 29, 2026 · 6 reading(s) · max 0.53%

Detection

Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.

  • Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
web/proxy/WAF logsnetwork IDS/IPS

Timeline

What happened to this CVE, newest first.

  • 2026
  • SSVC assessment updated
    Oct 29, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
  • Source status changed · Received → Awaiting Analysis
    Oct 26, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • Fix documented
    Oct 23, 2026 · GitHub Security Advisories
  • Affected products added · pip/pypdf
    Oct 23, 2026 · GitHub Security Advisories
  • Source status changed · Published → Received
    Oct 23, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • Record published
    Oct 23, 2026
  • CVSS changed · 7.1
    Oct 23, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
  • Source status changed · → Published
    Oct 23, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
  • Record created in this database
    Oct 23, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
  • CVE published
    Oct 23, 2026 · GitHub_M

Source activity

Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.

  • 1× References added · Oct 23, 2026 – Oct 23, 2026
  • 1× Official description updated · Oct 23, 2026 – Oct 23, 2026

References

5 on the record

Elsewhere on this site

Py-pdf
every CVE for this vendor
CWE-834
other pages naming this weakness

Related CVEs (same products)

  • CVE-2026-119209 pypdf: Possible large memory usage when parsing cross-reference streams 19h
  • CVE-2026-119208 pypdf: Possible long runtimes/large memory usage for encrypted PDF files 19h
  • CVE-2026-119203 pypdf: Possible infinite loop when hitting EOF in standard xref table during trailer search 19h
  • CVE-2026-119204 pypdf: Possible large memory usage when parsing page tree 19h
  • CVE-2026-119205 pypdf: Possible infinite loop when cloning dictionaries 19h
  • CVE-2026-119207 pypdf: Possible large memory usage for exceptions in strict mode 19h

Not in any source we poll

Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.

  • No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
  • No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
  • No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.

Answered from this record

Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.

What should defenders know first?

CVE-2026-115580 is "pypdf: Possible long runtimes for large xref table header limits", rated High. It affects Pypdf (Py-pdf); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 7.1 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.41% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.

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