Vulnerability in mistune (CVE-2026-59922)
Summary
Vulnerability in mistune (CVE-2026-59922). Risk of unauthorized operations or information disclosure. Exploitable via mark. Mitigation: upgrade to 3.3.0 or later.
Original description
The description as published by the source.
Summary
Type: Algorithmic-complexity denial of service. A run of N closed pairs ~~x~~~~x~~... (or the analogous ==x== for mark, ^^x^^ for insert) causes O(N²) work in the formatting parser. With the strikethrough, mark, or insert plugin enabled, an 8 KB input pegs the CPU for ~4 seconds; 16 KB → ~17 seconds.
File: src/mistune/plugins/formatting.py, lines 13-15 (the _STRIKE_END / _MARK_END / _INSERT_END patterns and their per-position scan).
Root cause: for each opening ~~/==/^^ the parser scans forward for the matching close pattern. The scan itself uses a bounded regex, but the parser tries the close-scan at every potential start position. For input shaped like ~~x~~ repeated N times, every ~~ is examined as a possible start, each scan covers up to the end of input. Total work is O(N²). Default config without these plugins handles the same input in linear time (4 ms for 4000 reps), confirming the cost is in the formatting plugin's per-marker scan, not in core parsing.
Affected Code
File: src/mistune/plugins/formatting.py, lines 12-16.
_STRIKE_END = re.compile(r"(?:" + PREVENT_BACKSLASH + r"\\~|[^\s~])~~(?!~)")
_MARK_END = re.compile(r"(?:" + PREVENT_BACKSLASH + r"\\=|[^\s=])==(?!=)")
_INSERT_END = re.compile(r"(?:" + PREVENT_BACKSLASH + r"\\\^|[^\s^])\^\^(?!\^)")
# Each pattern is scanned forward from every start position fired by the
# corresponding inline rule. The end-pattern itself is bounded; the c…
Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database NVD GitHub Advisory
Auto-generated summary
Assembled by SecPulse from the source data (CVSS, CWE, affected versions) using templates — no AI involved. Check the original description and references below for exact details.
A vulnerability tracked as CVE-2026-59922 has been found in mistune.
Attackers can target a specific entry point like mark over the network to misuse the product.
Risk of unauthorized operations or information disclosure. CVSS score: 7.5/10.
What to do: upgrade mistune to 3.3.0 or later.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "mistune CVE-2026-59922" on the vendor's site.
CVE-2026-59922 (mistune) — CWE-1333 / CVSS v3 7.5
Attack vector: remote (network-reachable) / unauthenticated / no user interaction
Attack surface: mark / insert / strikethrough / _STRIKE_END
Patched: 3.3.0 — apply immediately
Plan: 1) Audit SBOM/dependencies, 2) Stage→prod upgrade, 3) Add WAF/proxy monitoring on affected endpoints, 4) Hunt IOCs in logs.
Refs: see the GHSA / vendor advisory / patched release linked on this page.
A vulnerability (CWE-1333) exists in mistune. Attackers reach the vulnerable code path via mark without authentication.
Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of mistune. Attack surface: mark / insert / strikethrough / _STRIKE_END.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.5/10). Risk of unauthorized operations or information disclosure.
Update to 3.3.0.
Until the patch is applied: disable the affected feature, apply WAF rules, or restrict access via network ACLs.
Search webserver/proxy logs for unusual request patterns matching this CVE's known IOCs. Run grep -r 'mistune' . against your dependency files (package-lock.json, requirements.txt, go.sum) to find affected services.
Response actions
Concrete steps and command examples for SOC/SRE teams to execute in order
-
1Identify exposure identify
grep -r 'mistune' . | grep -v node_modulesリポジトリと本番環境の依存ファイル (package-lock.json / requirements.txt / go.sum / Gemfile.lock 等) で
mistuneを grep し、稼働しているサービス・バージョンを把握する。 -
2Apply patch patch
Upgrade mistune to 3.3.0ステージング環境で 3.3.0 に上げて回帰テスト → 本番反映。回帰テストはアプリの主要ハッピーパスを含めること。
-
3Post-deployment verification verify
Confirm patched version is live in productionパッチ適用後、ステージングで PoC または同等の悪用パターンを再現して脆弱性が閉じたことを確認。本番ではアクセスログ・WAF でアラート再発が無いか継続監視。
Affected packages
Fix status by distribution
Fixed packages published by each distribution for this CVE
- Ubuntu UBUNTU-CVE-2026-59922 mistune
References
- advisory nvd.nist.gov
- package github.com
- web github.com
- web github.com
- web github.com
- web github.com
- web github.com