Description
docx4j is an open source Java library for creating, editing, and saving OpenXML packages, including DOCX, PPTX, and XLSX files. Prior to 11.5.14, PropertyResolver and adjacent helpers recursively follow the WordprocessingML w:basedOn style inheritance chain without cycle detection. A well-formed DOCX containing mutually based styles causes unbounded recursion in PropertyResolver.fillPPrStack and related effective-style resolution paths, resulting in StackOverflowError. Server-side conversion and table-of-contents processing of an untrusted document can terminate a worker thread, degrade a thread pool, or deny service, although isolation in disposable workers or safe containment of StackOverflowError can reduce the practical effect. The fix adds cyclic-style tracking and CyclicStylesException handling. This issue is fixed in version 11.5.14.
Published: 2026-09-14
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-gc95-3vw8-vg43 docx4j: Stack Overflow via Cyclic `w:basedOn` Style Chain leads to Denial of Service
History

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 21:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description docx4j is an open source Java library for creating, editing, and saving OpenXML packages, including DOCX, PPTX, and XLSX files. Prior to 11.5.14, PropertyResolver and adjacent helpers recursively follow the WordprocessingML w:basedOn style inheritance chain without cycle detection. A well-formed DOCX containing mutually based styles causes unbounded recursion in PropertyResolver.fillPPrStack and related effective-style resolution paths, resulting in StackOverflowError. Server-side conversion and table-of-contents processing of an untrusted document can terminate a worker thread, degrade a thread pool, or deny service, although isolation in disposable workers or safe containment of StackOverflowError can reduce the practical effect. The fix adds cyclic-style tracking and CyclicStylesException handling. This issue is fixed in version 11.5.14.
Title docx4j: Stack Overflow via Cyclic `w:basedOn` Style Chain leads to Denial of Service
Weaknesses CWE-674
CWE-770
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

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: GitHub_M

Published:

Updated: 2026-09-14T17:31:07.287Z

Reserved: 2026-06-10T17:48:40.546Z

Link: CVE-2026-53752

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-09-14T18:17:51.773

Modified: 2026-09-14T18:17:51.773

Link: CVE-2026-53752

cve-icon Redhat

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cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

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Weaknesses