CVE-2024-28244 – katex

Package

Manager: npm
Name: katex
Vulnerable Version: >=0.15.4 <0.16.10

Severity

Level: Medium

CVSS v3.1: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS v4.0: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

EPSS: 0.00179 pctl0.39781

Details

KaTeX's maxExpand bypassed by Unicode sub/superscripts ### Impact 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. 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. ### Patches Upgrade to KaTeX v0.16.10 to remove this vulnerability. ### Workarounds Forbid inputs containing any of the characters `₊₋₌₍₎₀₁₂₃₄₅₆₇₈₉ₐₑₕᵢⱼₖₗₘₙₒₚᵣₛₜᵤᵥₓᵦᵧᵨᵩᵪ⁺⁻⁼⁽⁾⁰¹²³⁴⁵⁶⁷⁸⁹ᵃᵇᶜᵈᵉᵍʰⁱʲᵏˡᵐⁿᵒᵖʳˢᵗᵘʷˣʸᶻᵛᵝᵞᵟᵠᵡ` before passing them to KaTeX. (There is no easy workaround for the auto-render extension.) ### Details 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"](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. ### For more information If you have any questions or comments about this advisory: * Open an issue or security advisory in the [KaTeX repository](https://github.com/KaTeX/KaTeX/) * Email us at [katex-security@mit.edu](mailto:katex-security@mit.edu)

Metadata

Created: 2024-03-25T19:38:29Z
Modified: 2024-03-25T22:32:01Z
Source: https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2024/03/GHSA-cvr6-37gx-v8wc/GHSA-cvr6-37gx-v8wc.json
CWE IDs: ["CWE-606", "CWE-674"]
Alternative ID: GHSA-cvr6-37gx-v8wc
Finding: F067
Auto approve: 1