Summary
URI validation failure on SVG parsing. Bypass of CVE-2023-23924
Due to the difference in the attribute parser of Dompdf and php-svg-lib, an attacker can still call arbitrary URLs with arbitrary protocols.
Details
Dompdf parses the href attribute of image tags with the following code:
src/Image/Cache.php line 135-150
function ($parser, $name, $attributes) use ($options, $parsed_url, $full_url) {
if (strtolower($name) === "image") {
$attributes = array_change_key_case($attributes, CASE_LOWER);
$url = $attributes["xlink:href"] ?? $attributes["href"];
if (!empty($url)) {
$inner_full_url = Helpers::build_url($parsed_url["protocol"], $parsed_url["host"], $parsed_url["path"], $url);
if ($inner_full_url === $full_url) {
throw new ImageException("SVG self-reference is not allowed", E_WARNING);
}
[$resolved_url, $type, $message] = self::resolve_url($url, $parsed_url["protocol"], $parsed_url["host"], $parsed_url["path"], $options);
if (!empty($message)) {
throw new ImageException("This SVG document references a restricted resource. $message", E_WARNING);
}
}
}
},
As you can see from the code snippet above, it respects xlink:href even if href is specified.
$url = $attributes["xlink:href"] ?? $attributes["href"];
However, php-svg-lib, which is later used to parse the svg file, parses the href attribute with the following code:
src/Svg/Tag/Image.php line 51-57
if (isset($attributes['xlink:href'])) {
$this->href = $attributes['xlink:href'];
}
if (isset($attributes['href'])) {
$this->href = $attributes['href'];
}
Since href is respected if both xlink:href and href is specified, it's possible to bypass the protection on the Dompdf side by providing an empty xlink:href attribute.
Impact
An attacker can exploit the vulnerability to call arbitrary URLs with arbitrary protocols if they provide an SVG file to the Dompdf. In PHP versions before 8.0.0, it leads to arbitrary unserialize, which will lead, at the very least, to arbitrary file deletion and might lead to remote code execution, depending on available classes.
CVE-2023-24813 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 (2.0.3); 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.
Already deployed Kodem?
See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2023-24813? CVE-2023-24813 is a critical-severity security vulnerability in dompdf/dompdf (composer), affecting versions = 2.0.2. It is fixed in 2.0.3.
- How severe is CVE-2023-24813? CVE-2023-24813 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-2023-24813? dompdf/dompdf (composer) versions = 2.0.2 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2023-24813? Yes. CVE-2023-24813 is fixed in 2.0.3. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2023-24813 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-24813 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-2023-24813 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-2023-24813? Upgrade
dompdf/dompdfto 2.0.3 or later.