CVE-2024-24258 in MuPDF
Summary
by MITRE • 02/05/2024
mupdf v1.23.9 was discovered to contain a memory leak via the menuEntry variable in the glutAddSubMenu function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/17/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-24258 affects MuPDF version 1.23.9 and represents a memory leak condition within the glutAddSubMenu function that specifically targets the menuEntry variable. This issue resides within the graphics rendering and user interface components of the MuPDF library, which is widely utilized for PDF document processing and viewing across various platforms and applications. The memory leak manifests when the glutAddSubMenu function is invoked, suggesting that the library's integration with OpenGL utility toolkit (GLUT) creates a pathway for improper memory management during menu creation operations.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate memory deallocation mechanisms within the menuEntry variable handling during submenu construction processes. When glutAddSubMenu is called, the system allocates memory for menuEntry structures to maintain submenu references and associated metadata, but fails to properly release this memory upon function completion or when submenus are destroyed. This memory leak occurs repeatedly each time the function is invoked, leading to progressive memory consumption that can ultimately degrade system performance or cause application instability. The vulnerability operates at the application level where the MuPDF library interfaces with GLUT for graphical user interface elements, making it particularly concerning for applications that frequently create or modify menu structures during document interaction.
The operational impact of this memory leak extends beyond simple resource consumption, potentially affecting the stability and reliability of applications that depend on MuPDF for document rendering. Applications utilizing the affected library may experience gradual performance degradation over time, increased memory usage patterns, and in severe cases, application crashes or system instability. The vulnerability is especially problematic in long-running applications or environments where document processing occurs frequently, as the cumulative effect of memory leaks can lead to significant resource exhaustion. This issue affects both desktop and mobile applications that integrate MuPDF, potentially compromising user experience and system resource management across diverse computing environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-24258 should prioritize immediate updates to the MuPDF library to versions that address the memory leak in glutAddSubMenu functionality. System administrators and developers should conduct thorough code reviews to identify any custom implementations that interact with the affected function and ensure proper memory management practices are implemented. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-401, which catalogs memory leak issues in software systems, and may be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1490 for resource exhaustion attacks that could potentially be exploited to degrade system performance. Organizations should implement monitoring solutions to track memory usage patterns in applications utilizing MuPDF, enabling early detection of memory leak progression and proactive system maintenance to prevent service disruption.