CVE-2026-111758

markdown-it: Quadratic-time rendering of a single multi-line link reference definition with default options (regression since 14.0)

HIGH
7.5
CVSS Score
Published: October 20, 2026 at 08:28 PM UTC
Updated: October 28, 2026 at 05:17 PM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorIT Project Markdown IT

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Severity
HIGH7.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.5%
SSVC
PoC

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.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

>= 14.1.0, < 14.3.3>= 15.0.0, < 15.0.3

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet, and no fixed version or vendor advisory is recorded against it.

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCPoCAutomatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

7.5HIGHGitHub_M
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusAWAITING ANALYSIS
CWE
CWE-400CWE-407

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