pdoc embeds link to malicious CDN if math mode is enabled

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

7.2 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:L

EPSS

• CVE-2024-38526: 3.83% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 90.11 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Impact Documentation generated with pdoc --math linked to JavaScript files from polyfill.io. The polyfill.io CDN has been sold and now serves malicious code. Users who produce documentation with math mode should update immediately. All other users are unaffected. Patches This issue has been fixed in pdoc 14.5.1. References https://github.com/mitmproxy/pdoc/pull/703 https://sansec.io/research/polyfill-supply-chain-attack Timeline - [2024-06-25] https://sansec.io/research/polyfill-supply-chain-attack is published. - [2024-06-25 20:54 UTC] Issue reported to the pdoc project by @adhintz. - [2024-06-25 21:33 UTC] Patched version released. - [2024-06-25 21:37 UTC] Security advisory published. - [2024-06-25 23:49 UTC] CVE-2024-38526 assigned by GitHub.

Published by the source

25 Jun 2024, 22:23 UTC

Last modified by the source

7 Jul 2026, 17:57 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 13:16 UTC

1. Revision 2 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-5vgj-ggm4-fg62

2. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-5vgj-ggm4-fg62

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2024-38526

Advisory: pdoc embeds link to malicious CDN if math mode is enabled
IDs: CVE-2024-38526, GHSA-5vgj-ggm4-fg62
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2024-38526 (revision 2, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 13:16 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.2)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: pdoc 14.5.1. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- PyPI pdoc: affected < 14.5.1; fixed in 14.5.1

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `python -m pip show pdoc`: prints the installed version. Run with the environment that serves production active.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on pdoc.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-5vgj-ggm4-fg62 (OSV record GHSA-5vgj-ggm4-fg62 lists affected ranges: PyPI pdoc >=0 <14.5.1 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-5vgj-ggm4-fg62 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-5vgj-ggm4-fg62 lists affected ranges: PyPI pdoc >=0 <14.5.1)

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