Summary
Dompdf vulnerable to URI validation failure on SVG parsing
The URI validation on dompdf 2.0.1 can be bypassed on SVG parsing by passing <image> tags with uppercase letters. This might leads to arbitrary object unserialize on PHP < 8, through the phar URL wrapper.
Details
The bug occurs during SVG parsing of <image> tags, in src/Image/Cache.php :
if ($type === "svg") {
$parser = xml_parser_create("utf-8");
xml_parser_set_option($parser, XML_OPTION_CASE_FOLDING, false);
xml_set_element_handler(
$parser,
function ($parser, $name, $attributes) use ($options, $parsed_url, $full_url) {
if ($name === "image") {
$attributes = array_change_key_case($attributes, CASE_LOWER);
This part will try to detect <image> tags in SVG, and will take the href to validate it against the protocolAllowed whitelist. However, the `$name comparison with "image" is case sensitive, which means that such a tag in the SVG will pass :
<svg>
<Image xlink:href="phar:///foo"></Image>
</svg>
As the tag is named "Image" and not "image", it will not pass the condition to trigger the check.
A correct solution would be to strtolower the $name before the check :
if (strtolower($name) === "image") {
PoC
Parsing the following SVG file is sufficient to reproduce the vulnerability :
<svg>
<Image xlink:href="phar:///foo"></Image>
</svg>
Impact
An attacker might be able to exploit the vulnerability to call arbitrary URL with arbitrary protocols, if they can provide a SVG file to dompdf. In PHP versions before 8.0.0, it leads to arbitrary unserialize, that will leads at the very least to an arbitrary file deletion, and might leads to remote code execution, depending on classes that are available.
The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions. Typical impact: unauthorized data access or execution of privileged operations.
CVE-2023-23924 has a CVSS score of 10.0 (Critical). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (2.0.2); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2023-23924? CVE-2023-23924 is a critical-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in dompdf/dompdf (composer), affecting versions < 2.0.2. It is fixed in 2.0.2. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.
- How severe is CVE-2023-23924? CVE-2023-23924 has a CVSS score of 10.0 (Critical). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of dompdf/dompdf are affected by CVE-2023-23924? dompdf/dompdf (composer) versions < 2.0.2 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2023-23924? Yes. CVE-2023-23924 is fixed in 2.0.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2023-23924 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-23924 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2023-23924 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2023-23924? Upgrade
dompdf/dompdfto 2.0.2 or later.