KaTeX is a JavaScript library for TeX math rendering on the web. KaTeX users who render untrusted mathematical expressions could encounter malicious input using `\edef` that causes a near-infinite loop, despite setting `maxExpand` to avoid such loops. This can be used as an availability attack, where e.g. a client rendering another user's KaTeX input will be unable to use the site due to memory overflow, tying up the main thread, or stack overflow. Upgrade to KaTeX v0.16.10 to remove this vulnerability.

The remote Ubuntu 22.04 LTS / 24.04 LTS / 24.10 / 25.04 host has packages installed that are affected by multiple vulnerabilities as referenced in the USN-7572-1 advisory.

    Juho Forsn discovered that KaTeX did not correctly handle certain inputs, which could lead to an     infinite loop. If a user or application were tricked into opening a specially crafted file, an attacker     could possibly use this issue to cause a denial of service. This issue only affected Ubuntu 22.04 LTS.
    (CVE-2024-28243)

    Tobias S. Fink discovered that KaTeX did not correctly block certain URL protocols. If a user or system     were tricked into opening a specially crafted file, an attacker could possibly use this issue to execute     arbitrary code. This issue only affected Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. (CVE-2024-28246)

    It was discovered that KaTeX did not correctly handle certain inputs. If a user or system were tricked     into opening a specially crafted file, an attacker could possibly use this issue to execute arbitrary     code. This issue only affected Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. (CVE-2024-28245)

    Sean Ng discovered that KaTeX did not correctly handle certain inputs. If a user or system were tricked     into opening a specially crafted file, an attacker could possibly use this issue to execute arbitrary     code. (CVE-2025-23207)

Tenable has extracted the preceding description block directly from the Ubuntu security advisory.

Note that Nessus has not tested for these issues but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.

The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied patch available.

  - KaTeX is a JavaScript library for TeX math rendering on the web. KaTeX users who render untrusted     mathematical expressions could encounter malicious input using `\edef` that causes a near-infinite loop,     despite setting `maxExpand` to avoid such loops. This can be used as an availability attack, where e.g. a     client rendering another user's KaTeX input will be unable to use the site due to memory overflow, tying     up the main thread, or stack overflow. Upgrade to KaTeX v0.16.10 to remove this vulnerability.
    (CVE-2024-28243)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.

There are packages installed that are affected by a vulnerability referenced in the following CVE:

  - KaTeX is a JavaScript library for TeX math rendering on the web. KaTeX users who render untrusted
    mathematical expressions could encounter malicious input using `\edef` that causes a near-infinite loop,
    despite setting `maxExpand` to avoid such loops. This can be used as an availability attack, where e.g. a
    client rendering another user's KaTeX input will be unable to use the site due to memory overflow, tying
    up the main thread, or stack overflow. Upgrade to KaTeX v0.16.10 to remove this vulnerability.
    (CVE-2024-28243)

ID	Name	Product	Family	Type	Severity
240201	Ubuntu 22.04 LTS / 24.04 LTS / 24.10 / 25.04 : KaTeX vulnerabilities (USN-7572-1)	Nessus	Ubuntu Local Security Checks	Local	medium
228292	Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2024-28243	Nessus	Misc.	Local	medium
411174	SCA: security update for katex (GHSA-64fm-8hw2-v72w)	Tenable Cloud Security	SCA Checks	Local	medium
411174	SCA: security update for katex (GHSA-64fm-8hw2-v72w)	Tenable Self-Hosted Container Security	SCA Checks	Local	medium

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