CVE-2024-25176 is a critical vulnerability found in LuaJIT, a Just-In-Time Compiler for the Lua programming language. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 9.8, indicating a high level of severity, which requires immediate attention from organizations utilizing this technology. This vulnerability allows a stack-buffer overflow in the function lj_strfmt_wfnum located in lj_strfmt_num.c, potentially leading to unauthorized access and control over the affected systems.
Risk to organizations includes significant impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of systems that use LuaJIT up to version 2.1 and OpenRusty luajit2 prior to version 2.1-20240626. Attackers may leverage this vulnerability remotely, exploiting the low attack complexity and no privileges required, making it imperative for organizations to act swiftly.
As of now, there are no known exploits confirmed in the wild, but the potential for exploitation remains high. Organizations should prioritize patching immediately to mitigate the risks associated with this vulnerability.
Given the nature of this vulnerability, it is essential for organizations to conduct a thorough review of their systems and ensure they are running the latest versions of LuaJIT or any related components. Failure to address this issue could result in severe security breaches.
Vulnerability Details
The vulnerability in question affects LuaJIT through version 2.1 and OpenRusty luajit2 before version 2.1-20240626. The official description states that it involves a stack-buffer overflow in the lj_strfmt_wfnum function. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121, indicating a stack-based buffer overflow issue. The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 9.8, which falls into the critical severity category.
Given the critical nature of this vulnerability, it is crucial for users of LuaJIT to update their systems to the latest patched versions as soon as possible. The vulnerability was published on July 7, 2025, and has since been tagged as modified due to its severity.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of CVE-2024-25176 lies in improper handling of input within the lj_strfmt_wfnum function, leading to a stack-buffer overflow. The attack vector is network-based, which means that exploitation can occur remotely without physical access to the affected systems. The attack complexity is low, and no privileges are required, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous. Additionally, user interaction is not required for an attack to be successful.
The impacts of this vulnerability include high confidentiality, integrity, and availability risks, as exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code, leading to potential system compromise. This vulnerability highlights the importance of robust coding practices and regular security assessments.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Organizations that deploy LuaJIT should be acutely aware of the real-world risks associated with CVE-2024-25176. The potential for exploitation is significant, especially considering the critical CVSS score of 9.8. The blast radius could affect any systems utilizing affected versions of LuaJIT, thereby escalating the urgency for immediate remediation.
Given that this vulnerability is not included in the KEV catalog, organizations should not rely solely on external advisories for updates. The lack of known public exploits does not mitigate the risk; therefore, organizations must take proactive measures to ensure they are not vulnerable to this critical issue.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The affected versions include LuaJIT up to 2.1 and OpenRusty luajit2 before version 2.1-20240626. Organizations must ensure they are running the latest patched versions to mitigate this vulnerability.
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations should prioritize applying the latest patches provided by the LuaJIT development team. If a patch is unavailable, consider implementing configuration hardening measures to minimize exposure. Regular security assessments and penetration testing are also recommended to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.
Detection Guidance
Monitoring logs for unusual behavior or anomalies in the application’s performance can aid in early detection of potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also review system changes that coincide with any unauthorized access events.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of CVE-2024-25176 lies in its potential to expose high-value assets to significant risks. Security teams should take this as a lesson to implement robust security protocols that include continuous monitoring and timely patching. The strategic takeaway is to remain vigilant about outdated dependencies in software development.
Organizations can enhance their security posture by integrating regular penetration testing into their development lifecycle.
By leveraging insights from services such as application security assessments, organizations can better understand their risk landscape.
Furthermore, implementing a comprehensive continuous penetration testing strategy will ensure ongoing identification of vulnerabilities.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
.webp)