# CVE-2018-8036: Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition in Apache PDFBox

> A crafted PDF file triggers an infinite loop in Apache PDFBox, causing an out-of-memory exception and denial of service.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 3 Jul 2018
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2018-8036, GHSA-j2xq-pfff-mvgg, SUSE-SU-2018:2630-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-8036

## What is CVE-2018-8036?

CVE-2018-8036 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Apache PDFBox, published on 3 Jul 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

In Apache PDFBox 1.8.0 to 1.8.14 and 2.0.0RC1 to 2.0.10, a carefully crafted (or fuzzed) file can trigger an infinite loop which leads to an out of memory exception in Apache PDFBox's AFMParser.

Weakness: CWE-835 (Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-8036?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox` | Maven | From 1.8.0 | 1.8.15 |
| `org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox` | Maven | From 1.8.0 | 1.8.15 |
| `org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox` | Maven | From 2.0.0RC1 | 2.0.11 |
| `org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox` | Maven | From 2.0.0RC1 | 2.0.11 |
| `apache-pdfbox` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 | All versions | 1.8.12-5.3.13 |

Products: Apache Pdfbox.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-8036?

Upgrade org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox to a fixed version for your release line: 1.8.15 or 2.0.11.

## Is CVE-2018-8036 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-8036 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Apache PDFBox

- [CVE-2016-2175](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2175/): High severity vulnerability that affects org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-31811](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-31811/): A carefully crafted PDF file can trigger an OutOfMemory-Exception while loading a tiny file (medium 5.5)
- [CVE-2021-31812](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-31812/): A carefully crafted PDF file can trigger an infinite loop while loading the file (medium 5.5)
- [CVE-2021-27807](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-27807/): A carefully crafted PDF file can trigger an infinite loop while loading the file (medium 5.5)
- [CVE-2021-27906](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-27906/): A carefully crafted PDF file can trigger an OutOfMemory-Exception while loading the file (medium 5.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-8036 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-8036 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Apache PDFBox, published on 3 Jul 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-8036 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox (Maven): affected from 1.8.0; fixed in 1.8.15
- org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox (Maven): affected from 1.8.0; fixed in 1.8.15
- org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox (Maven): affected from 2.0.0RC1; fixed in 2.0.11
- org.apache.pdfbox:pdfbox (Maven): affected from 2.0.0RC1; fixed in 2.0.11

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8036/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8036/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-8036
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-8036
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-8036

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8036/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.