{"dataType": "CVE_RECORD", "dataVersion": "5.2", "cveMetadata": {"cveId": "CVE-2026-40505", "assignerOrgId": "83251b91-4cc7-4094-a5c7-464a1b83ea10", "state": "PUBLISHED", "assignerShortName": "VulnCheck", "dateReserved": "2026-04-13T20:29:02.808Z", "datePublished": "2026-04-16T01:20:08.397Z", "dateUpdated": "2026-04-16T01:21:45.703Z"}, "containers": {"cna": {"providerMetadata": {"orgId": "83251b91-4cc7-4094-a5c7-464a1b83ea10", "shortName": "VulnCheck", "dateUpdated": "2026-04-16T01:21:45.703Z"}, "title": "MuPDF mutool ANSI Injection via Metadata", "problemTypes": [{"descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "cweId": "CWE-150", "description": "CWE-150 Improper Neutralization of Escape, Meta, or Control Sequences", "type": "CWE"}]}], "affected": [{"vendor": "Artifex Software Inc.", "product": "MuPDF", "versions": [{"status": "affected", "version": "0", "lessThan": "0f17d789fe8c29b41e47663be82514aaca3a4dfb", "versionType": "git"}], "defaultStatus": "unaffected"}], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "MuPDF mutool does not sanitize PDF metadata fields before writing them to terminal output, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary ANSI escape sequences through crafted PDF metadata. Attackers can embed malicious ANSI escape codes in PDF metadata that are passed unsanitized to the terminal when running mutool info, enabling them to clear the terminal display and render arbitrary text for social engineering attacks such as presenting fake prompts or spoofed commands.", "supportingMedia": [{"type": "text/html", "base64": false, "value": "<div><div><div><p>MuPDF mutool does not sanitize PDF metadata fields before writing them to terminal output, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary ANSI escape sequences through crafted PDF metadata. Attackers can embed malicious ANSI escape codes in PDF metadata that are passed unsanitized to the terminal when running mutool info, enabling them to clear the terminal display and render arbitrary text for social engineering attacks such as presenting fake prompts or spoofed commands.</p></div></div></div>"}]}], "references": [{"url": "https://cgit.ghostscript.com/cgi-bin/cgit.cgi/mupdf.git/commit/?id=0f17d789fe8c29b41e47663be82514aaca3a4dfb", "tags": ["patch"]}, {"url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/mupdf-mutool-ansi-injection-via-metadata", "tags": ["third-party-advisory"]}], "metrics": [{"format": "CVSS", "scenarios": [{"lang": "en", "value": "GENERAL"}], "cvssV4_0": {"attackVector": "LOCAL", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "attackRequirements": "NONE", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "userInteraction": "PASSIVE", "vulnConfidentialityImpact": "NONE", "subConfidentialityImpact": "NONE", "vulnIntegrityImpact": "LOW", "subIntegrityImpact": "NONE", "vulnAvailabilityImpact": "NONE", "subAvailabilityImpact": "NONE", "exploitMaturity": "NOT_DEFINED", "Safety": "NOT_DEFINED", "Automatable": "NOT_DEFINED", "Recovery": "NOT_DEFINED", "valueDensity": "NOT_DEFINED", "vulnerabilityResponseEffort": "NOT_DEFINED", "providerUrgency": "NOT_DEFINED", "version": "4.0", "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM", "baseScore": 4.8, "vectorString": "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"}}, {"format": "CVSS", "scenarios": [{"lang": "en", "value": "GENERAL"}], "cvssV3_1": {"version": "3.1", "attackVector": "LOCAL", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "userInteraction": "REQUIRED", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "confidentialityImpact": "NONE", "integrityImpact": "LOW", "availabilityImpact": "NONE", "baseSeverity": "LOW", "baseScore": 3.3, "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N"}}], "credits": [{"lang": "en", "value": "Niel Duysters", "type": "finder"}], "source": {"discovery": "EXTERNAL"}, "x_generator": {"engine": "Vulnogram 1.0.1"}}}}

{}

{"cveTags": [], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "MuPDF mutool does not sanitize PDF metadata fields before writing them to terminal output, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary ANSI escape sequences through crafted PDF metadata. Attackers can embed malicious ANSI escape codes in PDF metadata that are passed unsanitized to the terminal when running mutool info, enabling them to clear the terminal display and render arbitrary text for social engineering attacks such as presenting fake prompts or spoofed commands."}], "id": "CVE-2026-40505", "lastModified": "2026-04-16T02:16:11.887", "metrics": {"cvssMetricV31": [{"cvssData": {"attackComplexity": "LOW", "attackVector": "LOCAL", "availabilityImpact": "NONE", "baseScore": 3.3, "baseSeverity": "LOW", "confidentialityImpact": "NONE", "integrityImpact": "LOW", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "userInteraction": "REQUIRED", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N", "version": "3.1"}, "exploitabilityScore": 1.8, "impactScore": 1.4, "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "type": "Primary"}], "cvssMetricV40": [{"cvssData": {"Automatable": "NOT_DEFINED", "Recovery": "NOT_DEFINED", "Safety": "NOT_DEFINED", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "attackRequirements": "NONE", "attackVector": "LOCAL", "availabilityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "baseScore": 4.8, "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM", "confidentialityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "exploitMaturity": "NOT_DEFINED", "integrityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackComplexity": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackRequirements": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackVector": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedPrivilegesRequired": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedUserInteraction": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "providerUrgency": "NOT_DEFINED", "subAvailabilityImpact": "NONE", "subConfidentialityImpact": "NONE", "subIntegrityImpact": "NONE", "userInteraction": "PASSIVE", "valueDensity": "NOT_DEFINED", "vectorString": "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X", "version": "4.0", "vulnAvailabilityImpact": "NONE", "vulnConfidentialityImpact": "NONE", "vulnIntegrityImpact": "LOW", "vulnerabilityResponseEffort": "NOT_DEFINED"}, "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "type": "Secondary"}]}, "published": "2026-04-16T02:16:11.887", "references": [{"source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "url": "https://cgit.ghostscript.com/cgi-bin/cgit.cgi/mupdf.git/commit/?id=0f17d789fe8c29b41e47663be82514aaca3a4dfb"}, {"source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/mupdf-mutool-ansi-injection-via-metadata"}], "sourceIdentifier": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "vulnStatus": "Received", "weaknesses": [{"description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-150"}], "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "type": "Primary"}]}

{}

{"analysis": {"en": {"generated_at": "2026-04-16T02:12:17.938481+00:00", "value": {"mitigation_remediation": ["Upgrade MuPDF to the latest version that includes the metadata sanitization fix.", "Avoid running mutool info on PDFs that are not trusted or have been obtained from untrusted sources.", "Configure the terminal or use an emulator that ignores or disables ANSI escape codes to prevent unintended screen manipulation."], "summary": {"action": "Immediate Patch", "impact": "Unsanitized ANSI escape sequence injection in terminal output"}, "threat_synthesis": {"affected_systems": "Every installation of Artifex Software Inc.\u2019s MuPDF that includes the mutool utility and has not applied the sanitization patch is vulnerable. The issue applies to all versions of MuPDF lacking the recent commit that filters metadata before output.", "description_and_impact": "MuPDF mutool does not sanitize PDF metadata before delivering it to the terminal, allowing attackers to embed arbitrary ANSI escape sequences into PDF metadata. When a user runs mutool info, those sequences are interpreted by the terminal, which can clear the display and render arbitrary text, enabling social\u2011engineering attacks such as presenting fake prompts or spoofed commands.", "risk_and_exploitability": "The CVSS score of 4.8 indicates moderate severity. EPSS data is not available and the vulnerability is not listed in CISA\u2019s KEV catalog. Exploitation requires a crafted PDF and the legitimate user to execute mutool info, making the attack local and user\u2011dependent. Despite the local nature, the potential for social engineering warrants prompt action to mitigate the risk."}}}}, "created": "2026-04-16T02:15:21.323086+00:00", "updated": "2026-04-16T02:15:21.323099+00:00", "vendors": []}