# CVE-2024-28244: node-katex: KaTeX is a JavaScript library for TeX math rendering on the web

CVE-2024-28244 is fixed in node-katex on 1 platform, first by DEBIAN-CVE-2024-28244, released March 25, 2024. It is not reported as exploited. Patch Radar priority: Routine.

- Web page: https://patchblox.com/security/cve/CVE-2024-28244
- Priority: Routine
- CVSS: 6.5 (medium)
- EPSS: 0.0216
- CISA KEV: not listed
- Exploited (vendor report): no
- Publicly disclosed: no
- Published: Mar 25, 2024

## Description

KaTeX is a JavaScript library for TeX math rendering on the web. KaTeX users who render untrusted mathematical expressions could encounter malicious input using `\def` or `\newcommand` that causes a near-infinite loop, despite setting `maxExpand` to avoid such loops. KaTeX supports an option named maxExpand which aims to prevent infinitely recursive macros from consuming all available memory and/or triggering a stack overflow error. Unfortunately, support for "Unicode (sub|super)script characters" allows an attacker to bypass this limit. Each sub/superscript group instantiated a separate Parser with its own limit on macro executions, without inheriting the current count of macro executions from its parent. This has been corrected in KaTeX v0.16.10.

## Where it's fixed

| Platform | Product | Fixed in | Fix | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | node-katex Debian 13.5 (trixie) | 0.16.10+~cs6.1.0-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2024-28244](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2024-28244.md) | Mar 25, 2024 |
| Linux | node-katex Debian 14 | 0.16.10+~cs6.1.0-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2024-28244](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2024-28244.md) | Mar 25, 2024 |

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Data as of 2026-11-08T13:06:02Z UTC. Source: Patchblox Patch Radar (https://patchblox.com/security/patch-radar). Patchblox finds out-of-date software on Windows, macOS and Linux and updates it through release rings: https://patchblox.com/demo

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