Description
markdown-it is a Markdown parser. From versions 14.1.0 to before 14.3.3, and 15.0.0 to before 15.0.3, a link reference definition whose label or title is never closed is O(n²) with default options. Continuation lines are pulled lazily with str += lineContent in src/rules_block/reference.ts, and the subsequent charCodeAt and slice calls flatten the V8 cons-string, copying everything collected so far; this runs before the rule decides the definition is invalid. No options are required to trigger it. This issue has been patched in versions 14.3.3 and 15.0.3.
Published: 2026-10-20
Score: 7.5 High
EPSS: n/a
KEV: No
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Remediation

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Tracking

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Advisories
Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-gfr2-rv44-r23c markdown-it: Quadratic-time rendering of a single multi-line link reference definition with default options (regression since 14.0)
History

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 20:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description markdown-it is a Markdown parser. From versions 14.1.0 to before 14.3.3, and 15.0.0 to before 15.0.3, a link reference definition whose label or title is never closed is O(n²) with default options. Continuation lines are pulled lazily with str += lineContent in src/rules_block/reference.ts, and the subsequent charCodeAt and slice calls flatten the V8 cons-string, copying everything collected so far; this runs before the rule decides the definition is invalid. No options are required to trigger it. This issue has been patched in versions 14.3.3 and 15.0.3.
Title markdown-it: Quadratic-time rendering of a single multi-line link reference definition with default options (regression since 14.0)
Weaknesses CWE-400
CWE-407
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}


Subscriptions

No data.

cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: GitHub_M

Published:

Updated: 2026-10-20T20:28:40.677Z

Reserved: 2026-10-16T17:52:09.081Z

Link: CVE-2026-111758

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-10-20T21:17:17.110

Modified: 2026-10-20T21:17:17.110

Link: CVE-2026-111758

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-10-20T22:00:16Z

Weaknesses
  • CWE-400

    Uncontrolled Resource Consumption

  • CWE-407

    Inefficient Algorithmic Complexity