CVE-2024-2002 identifies a double-free vulnerability in libdwarf version 0.1.0, a library used for reading and writing DWARF debugging information. The flaw arises when libdwarf encounters a multiply-corrupted DWARF object, causing it to attempt to free the same memory allocation twice. Double-free vulnerabilities can lead to undefined behavior such as memory corruption, application crashes, or potentially exploitable conditions that allow denial of service attacks. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely without requiring authentication or user interaction, as it depends on processing crafted DWARF data. While this vulnerability does not compromise confidentiality or integrity, it severely impacts availability by causing crashes or instability in applications relying on libdwarf. The CVSS score of 7.5 reflects the high severity due to ease of exploitation and impact on availability. No patches or known exploits are currently documented, indicating the need for proactive mitigation. Libdwarf is commonly used in debugging tools, compilers, and embedded systems development environments, making this vulnerability relevant to software development and security teams. The vulnerability was published on March 18, 2024, and assigned by Red Hat, highlighting its recognition in the open-source community.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-2002 is on the availability of systems processing DWARF debugging information with libdwarf 0.1.0. European organizations involved in software development, embedded systems, or using debugging tools that rely on libdwarf may experience application crashes or denial of service conditions if exposed to crafted corrupted DWARF data. This can disrupt development workflows, continuous integration pipelines, or embedded device firmware analysis. While confidentiality and integrity are not directly affected, the instability caused could lead to operational downtime or increased maintenance costs. Organizations relying on automated debugging or analysis tools that ingest untrusted DWARF data are particularly at risk. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate threat but does not eliminate the risk of future exploitation. The vulnerability could be leveraged in targeted attacks against software supply chains or development infrastructure, especially in countries with advanced software industries.

1. Immediately audit and identify all systems and development environments using libdwarf version 0.1.0. 2. Avoid processing untrusted or malformed DWARF debugging data until a patch is available. 3. Implement input validation and sanitization for DWARF data in custom tooling to detect corruption before processing. 4. Monitor libdwarf project repositories and security advisories for patches or updates addressing this vulnerability. 5. Employ runtime memory protection mechanisms such as AddressSanitizer or similar tools during development to detect double-free conditions early. 6. Restrict access to debugging and analysis tools to trusted users and networks to reduce exposure to malicious inputs. 7. Incorporate fuzz testing of DWARF data inputs in development pipelines to identify similar vulnerabilities proactively. 8. Prepare incident response plans for potential denial of service scenarios related to this vulnerability.