CVE-2024-26308: Apache Commons Compress DOS Vulnerability

CVE-2024-26308 Overview

CVE-2024-26308 is a Resource Exhaustion vulnerability affecting Apache Commons Compress, a widely-used Java library for working with archive file formats. The vulnerability stems from improper allocation of resources without limits or throttling (CWE-770), which can allow an attacker to cause a denial of service condition by exhausting system memory when processing specially crafted archive files.

This issue affects Apache Commons Compress versions from 1.21 before 1.26. Users are strongly recommended to upgrade to version 1.26 or later, which addresses this vulnerability.

Critical Impact

Applications using affected versions of Apache Commons Compress may be vulnerable to denial of service attacks when processing untrusted archive files, potentially causing memory exhaustion and application crashes.

Affected Products

• Apache Commons Compress versions 1.21 through 1.25.x
• Applications and services that depend on vulnerable Apache Commons Compress versions
• Java-based systems processing archive files using the affected library

Discovery Timeline

• February 19, 2024 - CVE-2024-26308 published to NVD
• March 27, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-26308

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability exists due to improper resource allocation handling in Apache Commons Compress. When processing certain archive formats, the library fails to implement appropriate limits on resource consumption, allowing specially crafted archive files to trigger excessive memory allocation. This can lead to memory exhaustion and denial of service conditions in applications that process untrusted archive data.

The attack requires local access and user interaction, meaning an attacker would need to convince a user to process a malicious archive file using an application built with the vulnerable library. While this limits the attack surface, applications that automatically process uploaded or external archive files remain at heightened risk.

Root Cause

The root cause is classified as CWE-770: Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling. The vulnerable code paths in Apache Commons Compress do not properly constrain memory allocation when decompressing or parsing archive structures. This allows archive files with specially crafted internal structures to cause the library to allocate excessive amounts of memory, far beyond what would be required for legitimate archive operations.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is local, requiring the attacker to deliver a malicious archive file to a victim system. This could be accomplished through various means such as:

• Email attachments containing malicious archive files
• File upload functionality in web applications
• Automated processing pipelines that handle external archive files
• Shared file storage systems

When a vulnerable application attempts to process the malicious archive, the library allocates excessive memory resources, potentially causing the application or even the entire system to become unresponsive due to resource exhaustion.

The vulnerability manifests during archive processing operations where resource bounds are not enforced. Attackers can craft archive files with structures that trigger unbounded memory allocation during decompression or parsing operations. For detailed technical analysis, refer to the Apache Mailing List Thread and the Openwall OSS Security Discussion.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-26308

Indicators of Compromise

• Abnormal memory consumption spikes in Java applications processing archive files
• OutOfMemoryError exceptions in application logs during archive operations
• Sudden application crashes or unresponsiveness when handling specific archive files
• Unusual system resource exhaustion patterns correlated with archive processing activities

Detection Strategies

• Implement software composition analysis (SCA) tools to identify applications using vulnerable versions of Apache Commons Compress (1.21 through 1.25.x)
• Monitor Java applications for abnormal heap memory growth during archive processing operations
• Set up alerting for OutOfMemoryError exceptions and unusual garbage collection patterns
• Review dependency manifests (pom.xml, build.gradle) for affected library versions

Monitoring Recommendations

• Configure JVM memory monitoring to detect abnormal allocation patterns in archive processing services
• Implement application performance monitoring (APM) to track resource consumption during archive operations
• Set up alerts for memory threshold breaches in services that handle archive file processing
• Monitor for patterns of archive file uploads that could indicate exploitation attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-26308

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Apache Commons Compress to version 1.26 or later immediately
• Audit all applications and services to identify dependencies on vulnerable library versions
• Review and update transitive dependencies that may include affected versions
• Implement resource limits on archive processing operations as a defense-in-depth measure

Patch Information

Apache has released version 1.26 of Commons Compress that addresses this vulnerability. Organizations should update their Maven or Gradle dependencies to use the patched version. For detailed information about the fix, refer to the Apache Mailing List Thread. Additional vendor-specific guidance is available in the NetApp Security Advisory.

Workarounds

• Implement input validation to reject archive files exceeding reasonable size thresholds before processing
• Configure JVM memory limits to prevent individual processes from consuming excessive system resources
• Isolate archive processing operations in sandboxed environments with strict resource constraints
• Validate archive file sources and avoid processing archives from untrusted origins where possible

# Example Maven dependency update to patched version
# Update pom.xml dependency to use fixed version 1.26 or later
# <dependency>
#   <groupId>org.apache.commons</groupId>
#   <artifactId>commons-compress</artifactId>
#   <version>1.26</version>
# </dependency>

# Verify current dependency versions
mvn dependency:tree | grep commons-compress

# Force update to latest patched version
mvn versions:use-latest-versions -Dincludes=org.apache.commons:commons-compress