GHSA-735f-pc8j-v9w8
HIGHprotobuf-java has potential Denial of Service issue
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Blast Radius
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
Summary
When parsing unknown fields in the Protobuf Java Lite and Full library, a maliciously crafted message can cause a StackOverflow error and lead to a program crash.
Reporter: Alexis Challande, Trail of Bits Ecosystem Security Team [email protected]
Affected versions: This issue affects all versions of both the Java full and lite Protobuf runtimes, as well as Protobuf for Kotlin and JRuby, which themselves use the Java Protobuf runtime.
Severity
CVE-2024-7254 High CVSS4.0 Score 8.7 (NOTE: there may be a delay in publication) This is a potential Denial of Service. 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.
Proof of Concept
For reproduction details, please refer to the unit tests (Protobuf Java LiteTest and CodedInputStreamTest) that identify the specific inputs that exercise this parsing weakness.
Remediation and Mitigation
We have been working diligently to address this issue and have released a mitigation that is available now. Please update to the latest available versions of the following packages:
- protobuf-java (3.25.5, 4.27.5, 4.28.2)
- protobuf-javalite (3.25.5, 4.27.5, 4.28.2)
- protobuf-kotlin (3.25.5, 4.27.5, 4.28.2)
- protobuf-kotlin-lite (3.25.5, 4.27.5, 4.28.2)
- com-protobuf [JRuby gem only] (3.25.5, 4.27.5, 4.28.2)
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 GHSA-735f-pc8j-v9w8 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 GHSA-735f-pc8j-v9w8 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 GHSA-735f-pc8j-v9w8. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-735f-pc8j-v9w8 in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-735f-pc8j-v9w8 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.