CVE-2024-0911 identifies a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability in indent version 2.2.13, a utility widely used for formatting C source code. The flaw arises when indent processes specially crafted input files, leading to improper memory handling on the heap. This results in a buffer overflow condition that can cause the application to crash, effectively a denial of service (DoS) attack. The vulnerability requires local access and user interaction, as an attacker must convince a user to run indent on a maliciously crafted file. There is no indication that this vulnerability allows for arbitrary code execution or impacts confidentiality or integrity of data. The CVSS v3.1 score of 5.5 reflects its medium severity, with attack vector local (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and user interaction required (UI:R). No known exploits have been reported in the wild, and no official patches have been linked yet, though it is expected that maintainers will release fixes. The vulnerability is relevant primarily to development environments where indent 2.2.13 is used, potentially disrupting build or formatting processes. The heap-based overflow could also be leveraged in chained attacks if combined with other vulnerabilities, but on its own, it mainly causes application crashes.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2024-0911 is availability disruption in software development workflows that rely on indent 2.2.13. This could delay development cycles or automated build processes if malicious files are inadvertently processed. Although the vulnerability does not compromise confidentiality or integrity, denial of service conditions can affect productivity and potentially lead to cascading failures in continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. Organizations with large-scale C development, especially those using open source tools and automated formatting, are at higher risk. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate threat but does not eliminate the risk of targeted attacks or accidental crashes. Additionally, the vulnerability could be exploited in insider threat scenarios where a malicious actor supplies crafted files to disrupt operations. The impact is more operational than data-centric, but availability issues in critical development environments can have downstream effects on product delivery and security posture.

To mitigate CVE-2024-0911, European organizations should first identify and inventory usage of indent version 2.2.13 within their development environments. Until a patch is available, avoid processing untrusted or unauthenticated source files with this version of indent. Employ runtime memory protection tools such as AddressSanitizer or similar heap protection mechanisms during development and testing to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Integrate file validation and scanning to detect malformed or suspicious input files before processing. Encourage developers to update to newer versions of indent once patches are released and monitor official repositories for security advisories. Additionally, implement strict access controls to limit who can run indent and process source files, reducing the risk of malicious file introduction. Incorporate this vulnerability into security awareness training to ensure developers recognize the risks of processing untrusted code formatting inputs. Finally, consider sandboxing or containerizing build environments to contain potential crashes and minimize impact on broader systems.