diff --git a/.build/Build.csproj b/.build/Build.csproj
index 8e7cc9e2f82..fc0931ecdcc 100644
--- a/.build/Build.csproj
+++ b/.build/Build.csproj
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
   <PropertyGroup>
     <OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
-    <TargetFramework>net7.0</TargetFramework>
+    <TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework>
     <RootNamespace></RootNamespace>
     <NoWarn>CS0649;CS0169</NoWarn>
     <NukeRootDirectory>..</NukeRootDirectory>
diff --git a/src/HotChocolate/Core/src/Execution/DependencyInjection/RequestExecutorServiceCollectionExtensions.cs b/src/HotChocolate/Core/src/Execution/DependencyInjection/RequestExecutorServiceCollectionExtensions.cs
index 6ef1a1e6f2b..7c391caa525 100644
--- a/src/HotChocolate/Core/src/Execution/DependencyInjection/RequestExecutorServiceCollectionExtensions.cs
+++ b/src/HotChocolate/Core/src/Execution/DependencyInjection/RequestExecutorServiceCollectionExtensions.cs
@@ -96,9 +96,12 @@ public static IServiceCollection AddGraphQLCore(this IServiceCollection services
 
                 return new ParserOptions(
                     noLocations: !options.IncludeLocations,
+                    allowFragmentVariables: false,
                     maxAllowedNodes: options.MaxAllowedNodes,
                     maxAllowedTokens: options.MaxAllowedTokens,
-                    maxAllowedFields: options.MaxAllowedFields);
+                    maxAllowedFields: options.MaxAllowedFields,
+                    maxAllowedDirectives: options.MaxAllowedDirectives,
+                    maxAllowedRecursionDepth: options.MaxAllowedRecursionDepth);
             });
 
         return services;
diff --git a/src/HotChocolate/Core/src/Execution/Options/RequestParserOptions.cs b/src/HotChocolate/Core/src/Execution/Options/RequestParserOptions.cs
index bdaf9e0aaa0..a243b6dcdb1 100644
--- a/src/HotChocolate/Core/src/Execution/Options/RequestParserOptions.cs
+++ b/src/HotChocolate/Core/src/Execution/Options/RequestParserOptions.cs
@@ -50,4 +50,17 @@ public sealed class RequestParserOptions
     /// as fields is an easier way to estimate query size for GraphQL requests.
     /// </summary>
     public int MaxAllowedFields { get; set; } = 2048;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// The maximum number of directives allowed per location (e.g. per field,
+    /// per operation, per fragment definition). Repeatable directives can be used
+    /// to exhaust CPU and memory resources if not limited.
+    /// </summary>
+    public int MaxAllowedDirectives { get; set; } = 4;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// The maximum allowed recursion depth when parsing a document.
+    /// This prevents stack overflow from deeply nested queries.
+    /// </summary>
+    public int MaxAllowedRecursionDepth { get; set; } = 200;
 }
diff --git a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/ParserOptions.cs b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/ParserOptions.cs
index 1c5ebac76d5..32e639deecb 100644
--- a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/ParserOptions.cs
+++ b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/ParserOptions.cs
@@ -45,6 +45,50 @@ public ParserOptions(
         MaxAllowedTokens = maxAllowedTokens;
         MaxAllowedNodes = maxAllowedNodes;
         MaxAllowedFields = maxAllowedFields;
+        MaxAllowedDirectives = 4;
+        MaxAllowedRecursionDepth = 200;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Initializes a new instance of <see cref="ParserOptions"/>.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="noLocations">
+    /// Defines that the parse shall not preserve syntax node locations.
+    /// </param>
+    /// <param name="allowFragmentVariables">
+    /// Defines that the parser shall parse fragment variables.
+    /// </param>
+    /// <param name="maxAllowedNodes">
+    /// The maximum number of nodes allowed within a document.
+    /// </param>
+    /// <param name="maxAllowedTokens">
+    /// The maximum number of tokens allowed within a document.
+    /// </param>
+    /// <param name="maxAllowedFields">
+    /// The maximum number of fields allowed within a query document.
+    /// </param>
+    /// <param name="maxAllowedDirectives">
+    /// The maximum number of directives allowed per location.
+    /// </param>
+    /// <param name="maxAllowedRecursionDepth">
+    /// The maximum allowed recursion depth of a parsed document.
+    /// </param>
+    public ParserOptions(
+        bool noLocations,
+        bool allowFragmentVariables,
+        int maxAllowedNodes,
+        int maxAllowedTokens,
+        int maxAllowedFields,
+        int maxAllowedDirectives,
+        int maxAllowedRecursionDepth)
+    {
+        NoLocations = noLocations;
+        Experimental = new(allowFragmentVariables);
+        MaxAllowedTokens = maxAllowedTokens;
+        MaxAllowedNodes = maxAllowedNodes;
+        MaxAllowedFields = maxAllowedFields;
+        MaxAllowedDirectives = maxAllowedDirectives;
+        MaxAllowedRecursionDepth = maxAllowedRecursionDepth;
     }
 
     /// <summary>
@@ -86,6 +130,18 @@ public ParserOptions(
     /// </summary>
     public int MaxAllowedFields { get; }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// The maximum number of directives allowed per location (e.g. per field,
+    /// per operation, per fragment definition). Repeatable directives can be used
+    /// to exhaust CPU and memory resources if not limited.
+    /// </summary>
+    public int MaxAllowedDirectives { get; }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets the maximum allowed recursion depth of a parsed document.
+    /// </summary>
+    public int MaxAllowedRecursionDepth { get; }
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Gets the experimental parser options
     /// which are by default switched of.
diff --git a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Properties/LangUtf8Resources.Designer.cs b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Properties/LangUtf8Resources.Designer.cs
index 52181d1bd86..a59b05d96e3 100644
--- a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Properties/LangUtf8Resources.Designer.cs
+++ b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Properties/LangUtf8Resources.Designer.cs
@@ -224,5 +224,17 @@ internal static string Utf8GraphQLParser_Start_MaxAllowedFieldsReached {
                 return ResourceManager.GetString("Utf8GraphQLParser_Start_MaxAllowedFieldsReached", resourceCulture);
             }
         }
+
+        internal static string Utf8GraphQLParser_ParseDirective_MaxAllowedDirectivesReached {
+            get {
+                return ResourceManager.GetString("Utf8GraphQLParser_ParseDirective_MaxAllowedDirectivesReached", resourceCulture);
+            }
+        }
+
+        internal static string Utf8GraphQLParser_Start_MaxAllowedRecursionDepthReached {
+            get {
+                return ResourceManager.GetString("Utf8GraphQLParser_Start_MaxAllowedRecursionDepthReached", resourceCulture);
+            }
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Properties/LangUtf8Resources.resx b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Properties/LangUtf8Resources.resx
index feaa997ae7e..464706cef98 100644
--- a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Properties/LangUtf8Resources.resx
+++ b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Properties/LangUtf8Resources.resx
@@ -207,4 +207,10 @@
   <data name="Utf8GraphQLParser_Start_MaxAllowedFieldsReached" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>The GraphQL request document contains more than {0} fields. Parsing aborted.</value>
   </data>
+  <data name="Utf8GraphQLParser_ParseDirective_MaxAllowedDirectivesReached" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>A location in the GraphQL document contains more than {0} directives. Parsing aborted.</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="Utf8GraphQLParser_Start_MaxAllowedRecursionDepthReached" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Document exceeds the maximum allowed recursion depth of {0}. Parsing aborted.</value>
+  </data>
 </root>
diff --git a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Directives.cs b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Directives.cs
index 196b973ae3e..a3391286d6e 100644
--- a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Directives.cs
+++ b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Directives.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
+using static HotChocolate.Language.Properties.LangUtf8Resources;
 
 namespace HotChocolate.Language;
 
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ private NameNode ParseDirectiveLocation()
         throw Unexpected(kind);
     }
 
-    private List<DirectiveNode> ParseDirectives(bool isConstant)
+    private List<DirectiveNode> ParseDirectives(bool isConstant, bool isQueryLocation = false)
     {
         if (_reader.Kind == TokenKind.At)
         {
@@ -73,6 +74,15 @@ private List<DirectiveNode> ParseDirectives(bool isConstant)
             while (_reader.Kind == TokenKind.At)
             {
                 list.Add(ParseDirective(isConstant));
+
+                if (isQueryLocation && list.Count > _maxAllowedDirectives)
+                {
+                    throw new SyntaxException(
+                        _reader,
+                        string.Format(
+                            Utf8GraphQLParser_ParseDirective_MaxAllowedDirectivesReached,
+                            _maxAllowedDirectives));
+                }
             }
 
             return list;
diff --git a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Fragments.cs b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Fragments.cs
index bde32c0890a..6dfa9900c13 100644
--- a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Fragments.cs
+++ b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Fragments.cs
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ private FragmentDefinitionNode ParseFragmentDefinition()
               ParseVariableDefinitions();
             ExpectOnKeyword();
             var typeCondition = ParseNamedType();
-            var directives = ParseDirectives(false);
+            var directives = ParseDirectives(false, isQueryLocation: true);
             var selectionSet = ParseSelectionSet();
             var location = CreateLocation(in start);
 
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ private FragmentDefinitionNode ParseFragmentDefinition()
             var name = ParseFragmentName();
             ExpectOnKeyword();
             var typeCondition = ParseNamedType();
-            var directives = ParseDirectives(false);
+            var directives = ParseDirectives(false, isQueryLocation: true);
             var selectionSet = ParseSelectionSet();
             var location = CreateLocation(in start);
 
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ private FragmentDefinitionNode ParseFragmentDefinition()
     private FragmentSpreadNode ParseFragmentSpread(in TokenInfo start)
     {
         var name = ParseFragmentName();
-        var directives = ParseDirectives(false);
+        var directives = ParseDirectives(false, isQueryLocation: true);
         var location = CreateLocation(in start);
 
         return new FragmentSpreadNode
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ private InlineFragmentNode ParseInlineFragment(
         in TokenInfo start,
         NamedTypeNode? typeCondition)
     {
-        var directives = ParseDirectives(false);
+        var directives = ParseDirectives(false, isQueryLocation: true);
         var selectionSet = ParseSelectionSet();
         var location = CreateLocation(in start);
 
diff --git a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Operations.cs b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Operations.cs
index a82e452346c..882a106ebb9 100644
--- a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Operations.cs
+++ b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Operations.cs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ private OperationDefinitionNode ParseOperationDefinition()
         var operation = ParseOperationType();
         var name = _reader.Kind == TokenKind.Name ? ParseName() : null;
         var variableDefinitions = ParseVariableDefinitions();
-        var directives = ParseDirectives(false);
+        var directives = ParseDirectives(false, isQueryLocation: true);
         var selectionSet = ParseSelectionSet();
         var location = CreateLocation(in start);
 
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ private VariableDefinitionNode ParseVariableDefinition()
             ? ParseValueLiteral(true)
             : null;
         var directives =
-            ParseDirectives(isConstant: true);
+            ParseDirectives(isConstant: true, isQueryLocation: true);
 
         var location = CreateLocation(in start);
 
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ private VariableNode ParseVariable()
     /// </summary>
     private SelectionSetNode ParseSelectionSet()
     {
+        IncreaseDepth();
         var start = Start();
 
         if (_reader.Kind != TokenKind.LeftBrace)
@@ -191,6 +192,7 @@ private SelectionSetNode ParseSelectionSet()
 
         var location = CreateLocation(in start);
 
+        DecreaseDepth();
         return new SelectionSetNode(
             location,
             selections);
@@ -240,7 +242,7 @@ private FieldNode ParseField()
         }
 
         var arguments = ParseArguments(false);
-        var directives = ParseDirectives(false);
+        var directives = ParseDirectives(false, isQueryLocation: true);
         var selectionSet = _reader.Kind == TokenKind.LeftBrace
             ? ParseSelectionSet()
             : null;
diff --git a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Types.cs b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Types.cs
index 854e8da30b4..2d0b3da063a 100644
--- a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Types.cs
+++ b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Types.cs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ public ref partial struct Utf8GraphQLParser
     /// </summary>
     private ITypeNode ParseTypeReference()
     {
+        IncreaseDepth();
         ITypeNode type;
         Location? location;
 
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ private ITypeNode ParseTypeReference()
                 MoveNext();
                 location = CreateLocation(in start);
 
+                DecreaseDepth();
                 return new NonNullTypeNode
                 (
                     location,
@@ -50,6 +52,7 @@ private ITypeNode ParseTypeReference()
             Unexpected(TokenKind.Bang);
         }
 
+        DecreaseDepth();
         return type;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Utilities.cs b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Utilities.cs
index a7be817cc30..134ffe74639 100644
--- a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Utilities.cs
+++ b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Utilities.cs
@@ -24,6 +24,25 @@ private NameNode ParseName()
     [MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.AggressiveInlining)]
     private bool MoveNext() => _reader.MoveNext();
 
+    [MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.AggressiveInlining)]
+    private void IncreaseDepth()
+    {
+        if (++_recursionDepth > _maxAllowedRecursionDepth)
+        {
+            throw new SyntaxException(
+                _reader,
+                string.Format(
+                    Utf8GraphQLParser_Start_MaxAllowedRecursionDepthReached,
+                    _maxAllowedRecursionDepth));
+        }
+    }
+
+    [MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.AggressiveInlining)]
+    private void DecreaseDepth()
+    {
+        --_recursionDepth;
+    }
+
     [MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.AggressiveInlining)]
     private TokenInfo Start()
     {
diff --git a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Values.cs b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Values.cs
index 7ba6b89645a..c1400e282cf 100644
--- a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Values.cs
+++ b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.Values.cs
@@ -29,32 +29,37 @@ public ref partial struct Utf8GraphQLParser
     /// </param>
     private IValueNode ParseValueLiteral(bool isConstant)
     {
+        IncreaseDepth();
+
+        IValueNode node;
+
         if (_reader.Kind == TokenKind.LeftBracket)
         {
-            return ParseList(isConstant);
+            node = ParseList(isConstant);
         }
-
-        if (_reader.Kind == TokenKind.LeftBrace)
+        else if (_reader.Kind == TokenKind.LeftBrace)
         {
-            return ParseObject(isConstant);
+            node = ParseObject(isConstant);
         }
-
-        if (TokenHelper.IsScalarValue(ref _reader))
+        else if (TokenHelper.IsScalarValue(ref _reader))
         {
-            return ParseScalarValue();
+            node = ParseScalarValue();
         }
-
-        if (_reader.Kind == TokenKind.Name)
+        else if (_reader.Kind == TokenKind.Name)
         {
-            return ParseEnumValue();
+            node = ParseEnumValue();
         }
-
-        if (_reader.Kind == TokenKind.Dollar && !isConstant)
+        else if (_reader.Kind == TokenKind.Dollar && !isConstant)
+        {
+            node = ParseVariable();
+        }
+        else
         {
-            return ParseVariable();
+            throw Unexpected(_reader.Kind);
         }
 
-        throw Unexpected(_reader.Kind);
+        DecreaseDepth();
+        return node;
     }
 
     [MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.AggressiveInlining)]
diff --git a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.cs b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.cs
index 504a03647aa..99b792e059a 100644
--- a/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.cs
+++ b/src/HotChocolate/Language/src/Language.Utf8/Utf8GraphQLParser.cs
@@ -10,10 +10,13 @@ public ref partial struct Utf8GraphQLParser
     private readonly bool _allowFragmentVars;
     private readonly int _maxAllowedNodes;
     private readonly int _maxAllowedFields;
+    private readonly int _maxAllowedDirectives;
+    private readonly int _maxAllowedRecursionDepth;
     private Utf8GraphQLReader _reader;
     private StringValueNode? _description;
     private int _parsedNodes;
     private int _parsedFields;
+    private int _recursionDepth;
 
     public Utf8GraphQLParser(
         ReadOnlySpan<byte> graphQLData,
@@ -29,6 +32,8 @@ public Utf8GraphQLParser(
         _allowFragmentVars = options.Experimental.AllowFragmentVariables;
         _maxAllowedNodes = options.MaxAllowedNodes;
         _maxAllowedFields = options.MaxAllowedFields;
+        _maxAllowedDirectives = options.MaxAllowedDirectives;
+        _maxAllowedRecursionDepth = options.MaxAllowedRecursionDepth;
         _reader = new Utf8GraphQLReader(graphQLData, options.MaxAllowedTokens);
         _description = null;
     }
@@ -47,6 +52,8 @@ internal Utf8GraphQLParser(
         _allowFragmentVars = options.Experimental.AllowFragmentVariables;
         _maxAllowedNodes = options.MaxAllowedNodes;
         _maxAllowedFields = options.MaxAllowedFields;
+        _maxAllowedDirectives = options.MaxAllowedDirectives;
+        _maxAllowedRecursionDepth = options.MaxAllowedRecursionDepth;
         _reader = reader;
         _description = null;
     }
@@ -64,6 +71,7 @@ internal Utf8GraphQLParser(
     public DocumentNode Parse()
     {
         _parsedNodes = 0;
+        _recursionDepth = 0;
         var definitions = new List<IDefinitionNode>();
 
         var start = Start();
diff --git a/src/HotChocolate/Primitives/test/Directory.Build.props b/src/HotChocolate/Primitives/test/Directory.Build.props
index 59f7f79cf82..f881c8cf0f5 100644
--- a/src/HotChocolate/Primitives/test/Directory.Build.props
+++ b/src/HotChocolate/Primitives/test/Directory.Build.props
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
   <Import Project="$([MSBuild]::GetPathOfFileAbove('Directory.Build.props', '$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)..\'))" />
 
   <PropertyGroup>
+    <TargetFrameworks>$(TestTargetFrameworks)</TargetFrameworks>
     <IsPackable>false</IsPackable>
     <GenerateDocumentationFile>false</GenerateDocumentationFile>
   </PropertyGroup>