IndirectObject.fully_unwrap infinite recursion guard

Ensures we only go to a maximum depth, so a malicious PDF cannot
get us indefinitely stuck. Also introduces unit tests.

Author: SamStephens

pypdf/generic/_base.py

@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 
 __author__ = "Mathieu Fenniak"
 __author_email__ = "biziqe@mathieu.fenniak.net"
+MAX_INDIRECT_OBJECT_NESTING_DEPTH = 10
 
 
 class PdfObject(PdfObjectProtocol):
@@ -292,8 +293,15 @@ def fully_unwrap(obj: Optional["PdfObject"]) -> Optional["PdfObject"]:
         Given a PdfObject that may be an IndirectObject, recursively unwrap that IndirectObject until a None or
         PdfObject that is not an IndirectObject is returned.
         """
-        if isinstance(obj, IndirectObject):
-            return IndirectObject.fully_unwrap(obj.get_object())
+        depth = 0
+        while isinstance(obj, IndirectObject):
+            if depth > MAX_INDIRECT_OBJECT_NESTING_DEPTH:
+                raise PdfReadError(
+                    "IndirectObject nested too deep. "
+                    "If required, consider increasing MAX_INDIRECT_OBJECT_NESTING_DEPTH."
+                )
+            depth += 1
+            obj = obj.get_object()
         return obj
 
     def __repr__(self) -> str:

tests/test_generic.py

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """Test the pypdf.generic module."""
 from io import BytesIO
 from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Optional
 from unittest.mock import patch
 
 import pytest
@@ -1058,6 +1059,72 @@ def test_indirect_object_page_dimensions():
     assert mediabox == RectangleObject((0, 0, 792, 612))
 
 
+def test_indirect_object_fully_unwrap():
+    unwrapping = {}
+    expected_result = NumberObject(123)
+
+    class FakeGetObjectReturn:
+        """Fake class to allow the IndirectObject to resolve its underlying object"""
+
+        def __init__(self, result):
+            self.result = result
+
+        def get_object(self) -> Optional[PdfObject]:
+            return self.result
+
+    class FakePdf:
+        """Fake class to allow the IndirectObject to resolve its underlying object"""
+
+        def get_object(self, indirect_reference: IndirectObject) -> Optional[PdfObject]:
+            return FakeGetObjectReturn(unwrapping[indirect_reference.idnum])
+
+    fake_pdf = FakePdf()
+    # Now we set up two layers of indirection: indirect_object0 contains the object indirect_object1 contains
+    # the object expected_result
+    indirect_object0 = IndirectObject(0, 0, fake_pdf)
+    indirect_object1 = IndirectObject(1, 0, fake_pdf)
+    unwrapping[0] = indirect_object1
+    unwrapping[1] = expected_result
+
+    # Confirm our setup is correct
+    assert indirect_object0.get_object() == indirect_object1
+    assert indirect_object1.get_object() == expected_result
+
+    # And test
+    assert IndirectObject.fully_unwrap(indirect_object0) == expected_result
+
+
+def test_indirect_object_fully_unwrap_depth_limit():
+
+    class FakeGetObjectReturn:
+        """
+        Fake class to allow the IndirectObject to resolve its underlying object
+        """
+        def __init__(self, result):
+            self.result = result
+
+        def get_object(self) -> Optional[PdfObject]:
+            return self.result
+
+    class FakePdf:
+        """
+        Fake class to allow the IndirectObject to resolve its underlying object. This version returns the IndirectObject
+        that is passed in, triggering our guard against indefinite recursion.
+        """
+        def get_object(self, indirect_reference: IndirectObject) -> Optional[PdfObject]:
+            return FakeGetObjectReturn(indirect_reference)
+
+    fake_pdf = FakePdf()
+
+    indirect_object = IndirectObject(0, 0, fake_pdf)
+
+    # And test
+    with pytest.raises(PdfReadError) as exc:
+        IndirectObject.fully_unwrap(indirect_object)
+    assert exc.value.args[0] == \
+           "IndirectObject nested too deep. If required, consider increasing MAX_INDIRECT_OBJECT_NESTING_DEPTH."
+
+
 def test_indirect_object_invalid_read():
     stream = BytesIO(b"0 1 s")
     with pytest.raises(PdfReadError) as exc: