CVE-2024-25710: Apache Commons Compress DoS Vulnerability

CVE-2024-25710 Overview

CVE-2024-25710 is an Infinite Loop vulnerability (CWE-835) affecting Apache Commons Compress, a widely-used Java library for working with archive and compression formats. The vulnerability exists in versions 1.3 through 1.25.0 and can be exploited to cause a denial of service condition when processing specially crafted input.

When triggered, the vulnerability causes the application to enter an infinite loop, consuming CPU resources and potentially rendering the affected service unavailable. This is particularly concerning given the widespread use of Apache Commons Compress in enterprise Java applications for handling archive operations.

Critical Impact

Applications using vulnerable versions of Apache Commons Compress can be forced into an infinite loop through malicious input, leading to denial of service and potential system resource exhaustion.

Affected Products

• Apache Commons Compress versions 1.3 through 1.25.0
• Applications and services utilizing vulnerable Apache Commons Compress library versions
• Enterprise systems relying on Apache Commons Compress for archive processing

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-02-19 - CVE-2024-25710 published to NVD
• 2025-11-04 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-25710

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is classified as a Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition, commonly known as an Infinite Loop (CWE-835). This type of flaw occurs when a program's loop logic contains a condition that can never be satisfied under certain circumstances, causing the loop to execute indefinitely.

In the context of Apache Commons Compress, the vulnerability manifests during the processing of specific archive or compressed data structures. When an attacker provides specially crafted input data, the library's parsing logic enters a loop state where the exit condition becomes unreachable, causing the processing thread to spin indefinitely.

The attack requires local access and user interaction—such as opening a malicious archive file—but requires no special privileges. The impact is primarily availability-focused, as successful exploitation results in complete denial of service without affecting data confidentiality or integrity.

Root Cause

The root cause stems from improper loop termination logic within the Apache Commons Compress library's archive parsing routines. When handling certain malformed or specially crafted archive structures, the loop counter or exit condition fails to reach its expected termination state. This allows an attacker to construct input that will cause the parsing algorithm to loop indefinitely, exhausting CPU resources on the affected system.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for CVE-2024-25710 requires local access with user interaction. An attacker would need to craft a malicious archive file and entice a victim to process it using an application that relies on vulnerable versions of Apache Commons Compress.

Attack scenarios include:

• Embedding malicious archive files in email attachments
• Uploading crafted archives to file processing systems
• Including malicious compressed data in data import workflows
• Targeting build systems that process archive dependencies

The vulnerability exploits the archive parsing functionality by providing input that manipulates loop control variables or conditions, preventing normal termination of the processing routine. Technical details regarding the specific exploitation mechanics can be found in the Openwall OSS Security Discussion.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-25710

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusually high CPU utilization by Java processes handling archive operations
• Application threads stuck in prolonged processing states when handling archive files
• Service timeouts or unresponsiveness when processing compressed files
• Thread dumps showing loops within Apache Commons Compress classes

Detection Strategies

• Monitor Java application logs for abnormal processing times on archive operations
• Implement thread monitoring to detect threads that exceed expected processing durations
• Configure application-level timeouts for archive extraction and compression operations
• Scan application dependencies for Apache Commons Compress versions between 1.3 and 1.25.0

Monitoring Recommendations

• Deploy dependency scanning tools to identify vulnerable Apache Commons Compress versions across your environment
• Set up alerts for CPU consumption anomalies in services that process archive files
• Monitor thread states in Java applications for signs of infinite loop conditions
• Implement resource limits on archive processing operations to prevent system-wide impact

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-25710

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Apache Commons Compress to version 1.26.0 or later immediately
• Audit all applications and services for use of vulnerable library versions
• Implement input validation and size limits for archive files before processing
• Configure processing timeouts to prevent indefinite resource consumption

Patch Information

Apache has released version 1.26.0 of Commons Compress which addresses this vulnerability. Users are strongly recommended to upgrade to this version or later. The official advisory and upgrade guidance is available through the Apache Mailing List Thread.

Additional vendor-specific guidance:

• NetApp Security Advisory provides information for NetApp product users

Workarounds

• Implement strict input validation to reject suspicious or malformed archive files before processing
• Configure processing timeouts at the application level to automatically terminate long-running archive operations
• Deploy resource isolation (containers, cgroups) to limit the blast radius of potential DoS conditions
• Consider using file type verification before passing data to the compression library

# Maven dependency update example
# Update pom.xml to use patched version
# Replace:
#   <dependency>
#     <groupId>org.apache.commons</groupId>
#     <artifactId>commons-compress</artifactId>
#     <version>1.25.0</version>
#   </dependency>
# With:
#   <dependency>
#     <groupId>org.apache.commons</groupId>
#     <artifactId>commons-compress</artifactId>
#     <version>1.26.0</version>
#   </dependency>

# Verify the upgrade
mvn dependency:tree | grep commons-compress