# CVE-2023-2663: Stack overflow in Xpdf 4.04 due to object loop in PDF page label tree

> An attacker can cause a stack overflow and crash the application by providing a PDF with a malicious object loop in the page label tree.

- **Severity:** Low 2.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 11 May 2023
- **Updated:** 24 Jan 2025
- **Also known as:** CVE-2023-31554, GHSA-8wrw-hcvf-r5f8, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-2663

## What is CVE-2023-2663?

CVE-2023-2663 is a low-severity denial of service vulnerability in Xpdfreader Xpdf, published on 11 May 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In Xpdf 4.04 (and earlier), a PDF object loop in the page label tree leads to infinite recursion and a stack overflow.

Weakness: CWE-674 (Uncontrolled Recursion)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-2663?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Xpdfreader Xpdf.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-2663?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2023-2663 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-2663 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Xpdfreader Xpdf

- [CVE-2022-38928](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-38928/): Null dereference in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2022-38222](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-38222/): Use after free in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2022-33108](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-33108/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2022-30524](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-30524/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2020-24996](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-24996/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-2663 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-2663 is a low-severity denial of service vulnerability in Xpdfreader Xpdf, published on 11 May 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-2663 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Xpdfreader Xpdf. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2023-2663/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2663/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-2663
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-2663
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-2663

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2663/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.