CVE-2024-7254
Fix: protocolbuffers/protobuf@cc8b348CVE-2024-7254 is a Uncontrolled Resource Consumption vulnerability in com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java. O3 Security confirms whether CVE-2024-7254 is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
Stack overflow in Protocol Buffers Java Lite
Real-World Exposure
com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java☕com.google.protobuf:protobuf-javalite☕com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin☕com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin-lite☕com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin-lite☕com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin-lite☕com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin☕com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin+7 moreReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Any project that parses untrusted Protocol Buffers data containing an arbitrary number of nested groups / series of SGROUP tags can corrupted by exceeding the stack limit i.e. StackOverflow. Parsing nested groups as unknown fields with DiscardUnknownFieldsParser or Java Protobuf Lite parser, or against Protobuf map fields, creates unbounded recursions that can be abused by an attacker.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java | all versions | 3.25.5 |
| ☕Maven | com.google.protobuf:protobuf-javalite | all versions | 3.25.5 |
| ☕Maven | com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin | all versions | 3.25.5 |
| ☕Maven | com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin-lite | all versions | 3.25.5 |
| ☕Maven | com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin-lite | ≥ 4.0.0-RC1&&< 4.27.5 | 4.27.5 |
| ☕Maven | com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin-lite | ≥ 4.28.0-RC1&&< 4.28.2 | 4.28.2 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java to 3.25.5 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2024-7254 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether CVE-2024-7254 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to CVE-2024-7254. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2024-7254 in your dependencies?
O3 detects CVE-2024-7254 across Maven, RubyGems dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.