Overview
The CVE-2025-55197 vulnerability refers to a critical flaw within the pypdf library, a popular open-source pure-python PDF library. This vulnerability could allow an attacker to craft a malicious PDF, ultimately leading to RAM exhaustion. Any system or application utilizing versions of the pypdf library prior to 6.0.0 are affected, posing high risks of system compromise and data leakage.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-55197
Severity: High, CVSS score 7.5
Attack Vector: Malicious PDF file
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required (needs to open or read the malicious PDF)
Impact: Potential system compromise and data leakage due to RAM exhaustion
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
pypdf | Prior to version 6.0.0
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability resides in the handling of PDF files with a series of FlateDecode filters used on a malicious cross-reference stream. When the affected version of pypdf reads such a file, it can lead to RAM exhaustion, potentially causing system instability or crash. Other content streams are also affected when accessed explicitly.
Conceptual Example Code
Here is a pseudo-code example of how a malicious PDF might be crafted. This should not be used for malicious purposes.
# Creating a PDF with a series of FlateDecode filters
# (This is a conceptual example, not actual usable code.)
pdf = PDF()
xref_stream = XrefStream()
# Adding a series of FlateDecode filters
for i in range(1000000):
xref_stream.add_filter('FlateDecode')
# Adding the malicious xref stream to the PDF
pdf.add_xref_stream(xref_stream)
# Saving the malicious PDF
pdf.save('malicious.pdf')Please note that this is a simplified pseudo-code to provide a basic understanding of the vulnerability. In real-world scenarios, the PDF would likely contain more complex structures and data.