CVE-2025-53000: Nbconvert Nbconvert Has An Uncontrolled Search Vulnerability

{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-xm59-rqc7-hhvf",
  "modified" : "2026-02-10T13:48:26Z",
  "published" : "2025-12-18T22:03:08Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2025-53000" ],
  "summary" : "nbconvert has an uncontrolled search path that leads to unauthorized code execution on Windows",
  "details" : "### Summary\n\nOn Windows, converting a notebook containing SVG output to a PDF results in unauthorized code execution. Specifically, a third party can create a `inkscape.bat` file that defines a [Windows batch script](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batch_file), capable of arbitrary code execution.\n\nWhen a user runs `jupyter nbconvert --to pdf` on a notebook containing SVG output to a PDF on a Windows platform from this directory, the `inkscape.bat` file is run unexpectedly.\n\n### Details\n_Give all details on the vulnerability. Pointing to the incriminated source code is very helpful for the maintainer._\n\n`nbconvert` searches for an `inkscape` executable when converting notebooks to PDFs here: https://github.com/jupyter/nbconvert/blob/4f61702f5c7524d8a3c4ac0d5fc33a6ac2fa36a7/nbconvert/preprocessors/svg2pdf.py#L104\n\nThe MITRE page on [CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/427.html) summarizes the root cause succinctly:\n\n> In Windows-based systems, when the `LoadLibrary` or `LoadLibraryEx` function is called with a DLL name that does not contain a fully qualified path, the function follows a search order that includes two path elements that might be uncontrolled:\n> - the directory from which the program has been loaded\n> - the current working directory\n\n### PoC\n\n_Complete instructions, including specific configuration details, to reproduce the vulnerability._\n\n1. Create a directory containing: \n\n    - A hidden bat file called `inkscape.bat` containing `msg * \"You've been hacked!\"`\n\n    - A dummy ipynb file called `Machine_Learning.ipynb`\n\n2. Run the command `jupyter nbconvert --to pdf Machine_Learning.ipynb`.\n\n3. Wait a few seconds, and you should see a popup showing the message \"You've been hacked!\" \n\n### Impact\n\nAll Windows users.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "nbconvert"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "7.17.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/jupyter/nbconvert/security/advisories/GHSA-xm59-rqc7-hhvf"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-53000"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/jupyter/nbconvert/issues/2258"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/jupyter/nbconvert/commit/c9ac1d1040459ed1ff9eb34e9918ce5a87cf9d71"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/jupyter/nbconvert"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/jupyter/nbconvert/blob/4f61702f5c7524d8a3c4ac0d5fc33a6ac2fa36a7/nbconvert/preprocessors/svg2pdf.py#L104"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/jupyter/nbconvert/releases/tag/v7.17.0"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.imperva.com/blog/code-execution-in-jupyter-notebook-exports"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-427" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2025-12-18T22:03:08Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2025-12-17T21:16:14Z"
  }
}