protocolbuffers Python-Protobuf up to 4.25.7/5.29.4/6.31.0 recursion

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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6.3$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as critical has been reported in protocolbuffers Python-Protobuf up to 4.25.7/5.29.4/6.31.0. This impacts an unknown function. This manipulation causes recursion. This vulnerability appears as CVE-2025-4565. The attack may be initiated remotely. There is no available exploit. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in protocolbuffers Python-Protobuf up to 4.25.7/5.29.4/6.31.0 and classified as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown code. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a recursion vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-674. The product does not properly control the amount of recursion that takes place, consuming excessive resources, such as allocated memory or the program stack. As an impact it is known to affect availability. The summary by CVE is:

Any project that uses Protobuf Pure-Python backend to parse untrusted Protocol Buffers data containing an arbitrary number of recursive groups, recursive messages or a series of SGROUP tags can be corrupted by exceeding the Python recursion limit. This can result in a Denial of service by crashing the application with a RecursionError. We recommend upgrading to version =>6.31.1 or beyond commit 17838beda2943d08b8a9d4df5b68f5f04f26d901

The weakness was presented with Alexis Challande as 17838beda2943d08b8a9d4df5b68f5f04f26d901. The advisory is shared at github.com. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2025-4565 since 05/12/2025. The exploitation appears to be easy. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploitation doesn't need any form of authentication. Neither technical details nor an exploit are publicly available. MITRE ATT&CK project uses the attack technique T1499 for this issue.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 241681 (Ubuntu 22.04 LTS / 24.04 LTS / 25.04 : Protocol Buffers vulnerabilities (USN-7629-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 4.25.8, 5.29.5 or 6.31.1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 17838beda2943d08b8a9d4df5b68f5f04f26d901 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at github.com. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (241681), EUVD (EUVD-2025-18401) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1548). Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Affected

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux
  • Ubuntu Linux
  • SUSE Linux
  • Red Hat OpenShift

Productinfo

Type

Vendor

Name

Version

License

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CNA CVSS-B Score: 🔍
CNA CVSS-BT Score: 🔍
CNA Vector: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 6.4
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 6.3

VulDB Base Score: 7.5
VulDB Temp Score: 7.2
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 5.3
NVD Vector: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Recursion
CWE: CWE-674 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 241681
Nessus Name: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS / 24.04 LTS / 25.04 : Protocol Buffers vulnerabilities (USN-7629-1)

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Upgrade: Python-Protobuf 4.25.8/5.29.5/6.31.1
Patch: 17838beda2943d08b8a9d4df5b68f5f04f26d901

Timelineinfo

05/12/2025 🔍
06/16/2025 +35 days 🔍
06/16/2025 +0 days 🔍
03/08/2026 +265 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Advisory: 17838beda2943d08b8a9d4df5b68f5f04f26d901
Organization: Alexis Challande
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2025-4565 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2025-4565
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-312673
EUVD: 🔍
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-1548 - Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform: Schwachstelle ermöglicht Denial of Service

Entryinfo

Created: 06/16/2025 18:19
Updated: 03/08/2026 17:21
Changes: 06/16/2025 18:19 (70), 06/16/2025 18:33 (1), 07/11/2025 01:36 (2), 07/15/2025 11:02 (7), 08/14/2025 19:39 (12), 03/08/2026 17:21 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

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