CVE-2024-54731 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-674 (Uncontrolled Recursion) affecting Coherent Graphics' CPDF library up to version 2.8. The issue arises when the CPDF library processes a specially crafted PDF document that triggers uncontrolled recursive calls, leading to excessive stack consumption. This stack exhaustion can cause the application or system component using CPDF to crash, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability does not affect confidentiality or integrity, as it does not allow code execution or data manipulation, but it impacts availability by causing application instability or termination. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 4.0 (medium severity), with the vector indicating local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), and impact limited to availability (A:L). There are no known exploits in the wild, and no patches have been released as of the publication date (January 8, 2025). The vulnerability is relevant for any software or device embedding the CPDF library for PDF rendering or processing, which may include embedded systems, specialized document viewers, or proprietary applications. The root cause is a lack of recursion control in the PDF parsing logic, which should be addressed by implementing recursion limits or iterative parsing methods. Until a patch is available, users should avoid processing untrusted PDF files with vulnerable CPDF versions and consider sandboxing or resource limiting to mitigate potential crashes.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-54731 is denial of service due to application or system crashes caused by stack exhaustion from uncontrolled recursion. This can disrupt business operations, especially in environments relying on CPDF for PDF processing or rendering, such as embedded devices, document management systems, or specialized software. Although the vulnerability does not allow data theft or code execution, the loss of availability can affect productivity and service reliability. Systems exposed to untrusted PDF inputs are at higher risk. The requirement for local access reduces the likelihood of remote exploitation, but insider threats or compromised local users could trigger the vulnerability. In critical infrastructure or embedded systems where CPDF is used, repeated crashes could lead to system instability or require manual intervention, increasing operational costs and downtime.

To mitigate CVE-2024-54731, organizations should: 1) Monitor Coherent Graphics' official channels for patches or updates addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly once available. 2) Restrict processing of untrusted or unauthenticated PDF documents through CPDF, especially in environments where local users have access. 3) Implement sandboxing or containerization for applications using CPDF to limit the impact of potential crashes and isolate failures. 4) Employ resource limits on stack usage or process memory to prevent system-wide instability from stack exhaustion. 5) Conduct code audits or static analysis on custom integrations of CPDF to identify and remediate recursion risks. 6) Consider alternative PDF libraries with better security track records if patching is delayed. 7) Educate local users about the risks of opening untrusted PDFs in affected applications. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling input trust boundaries, isolating vulnerable components, and enforcing resource constraints.