Answer in brief
CVE-2024-7254 records a High severity (CVSS 7.5) vulnerability in protobuf-java has potential Denial of Service issue. The current sources do not mark it as known exploited. The current feed maps com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java (maven), com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java (maven), com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java (maven), com.google.protobuf:protobuf-javalite (maven) and additional mapped packages. Check affected ranges and fixed versions before updating.
Analysis pending evidence review
HOL Guard separates source facts from reviewed analysis. See the methodology.
CVSS is 7.5. The current sources do not mark it as known exploited. Treat this as a source-backed prioritization signal, not a statement about your environment.
Analysis status
Analysis pending evidence review
Factual feed record only; HOL analysis is not approved for indexing. Read the methodology.
The current feed maps com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java (maven), com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java (maven), com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java (maven), com.google.protobuf:protobuf-javalite (maven) and additional mapped packages. Check affected ranges and fixed versions before updating.
| Package | Affected range | Fixed version |
|---|---|---|
| com.google.protobuf:protobuf-javamaven | >=0 <3.25.5 | 3.25.5 |
| com.google.protobuf:protobuf-javamaven | >=4.0.0-RC1 <4.27.5 | 4.27.5 |
| com.google.protobuf:protobuf-javamaven | >=4.28.0-RC1 <4.28.2 | 4.28.2 |
| com.google.protobuf:protobuf-javalitemaven | >=0 <3.25.5 | 3.25.5 |
| com.google.protobuf:protobuf-javalitemaven | >=4.0.0-RC1 <4.27.5 | 4.27.5 |
| com.google.protobuf:protobuf-javalitemaven | >=4.28.0-RC1 <4.28.2 | 4.28.2 |
| com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlinmaven | >=0 <3.25.5 | 3.25.5 |
| com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlinmaven | >=4.0.0-RC1 <4.27.5 | 4.27.5 |
| com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlinmaven | >=4.28.0-RC1 <4.28.2 | 4.28.2 |
| com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin-litemaven | >=0 <3.25.5 | 3.25.5 |
| com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin-litemaven | >=4.0.0-RC1 <4.27.5 | 4.27.5 |
| com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin-litemaven | >=4.28.0-RC1 <4.28.2 | 4.28.2 |
| google-protobufrubygems | >=0 <3.25.5 | 3.25.5 |
| google-protobufrubygems | >=4.0.0.rc.1 <4.27.5 | 4.27.5 |
| google-protobufrubygems | >=4.28.0.rc.1 <4.28.2 | 4.28.2 |
Published upstream
Sep 19, 2024
Evidence: source:osv:source_dates:source-dates:recordSource modified
Sep 10, 2026
Evidence: source:osv:source_dates:source-dates:recordFirst seen by HOL
Aug 7, 2026
### 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](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=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](https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/blob/a037f28ff81ee45ebe008c64ab632bf5372242ce/java/lite/src/test/java/com/google/protobuf/LiteTest.java) and [CodedInputStreamTest](https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/blob/a037f28ff81ee45ebe008c64ab632bf5372242ce/java/core/src/test/java/com/google/protobuf/CodedInputStreamTest.java)) 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)
Quoted source text, attributed separately from HOL analysis.