CVE-2024-6239 identifies an improper input validation vulnerability in the Poppler project's pdfinfo utility, specifically when the -dests parameter is used. Poppler is a widely used open-source PDF rendering library, and pdfinfo is a command-line tool that extracts metadata and information from PDF files. The vulnerability arises because pdfinfo does not properly validate or sanitize input passed via the -dests parameter, allowing specially crafted malformed PDF files to cause the utility to crash. This crash leads to a denial of service condition, impacting the availability of the pdfinfo utility. The vulnerability affects version 24.06.0 of Poppler. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.5 (high), reflecting that the attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires no privileges (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacts availability only (A:H) without affecting confidentiality or integrity. The scope remains unchanged (S:U). No known exploits have been reported in the wild yet, and no patches are currently linked, indicating that remediation may require monitoring for updates from Poppler maintainers or distributions. This vulnerability is relevant for environments where pdfinfo is used in automated PDF processing pipelines, document indexing, or metadata extraction, especially in server or cloud environments where untrusted PDFs might be processed.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2024-6239 is a denial of service on systems running Poppler's pdfinfo utility version 24.06.0. This can disrupt automated workflows that rely on pdfinfo for PDF metadata extraction or document processing, potentially causing downtime or delays in document handling services. Industries such as legal, publishing, finance, and government agencies that process large volumes of PDFs could experience operational interruptions. While the vulnerability does not lead to data breaches or code execution, the availability impact could affect service reliability and user trust. Organizations using Poppler in containerized or cloud environments might face increased risk if exposed to untrusted PDF inputs. The lack of authentication or user interaction requirements means that any attacker capable of submitting crafted PDFs to vulnerable systems can trigger the DoS, increasing the attack surface. However, the absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the need for proactive mitigation.

To mitigate CVE-2024-6239, European organizations should: 1) Monitor Poppler project repositories and Linux distribution security advisories for patches addressing this vulnerability and apply updates promptly once available. 2) If immediate patching is not possible, restrict access to the pdfinfo utility, especially limiting exposure to untrusted PDF files by implementing strict input validation and filtering at the application or network perimeter. 3) Employ sandboxing or containerization for PDF processing tasks to isolate potential crashes and prevent broader system impact. 4) Implement monitoring and alerting for abnormal pdfinfo crashes or service disruptions to detect exploitation attempts early. 5) Review and harden PDF ingestion workflows to ensure only trusted sources can submit PDFs for processing. 6) Consider alternative PDF metadata extraction tools with a strong security track record until patches are available. 7) Educate developers and system administrators about the risks of processing untrusted PDFs and enforce secure coding and operational practices around document handling.