CVE-2024-29904Network attack vector

Server memory exhaustion via recursive error localization

Published Mar 29, 2024 · Updated Aug 21, 2024

Denial of service in CodeIgniter 4 before 4.4.7 allows remote attackers to exhaust server memory through invalid language data. Language::formatMessage handles a failed MessageFormatter call by invoking lang() to format its own error, recursively repeating the same failure. Network reachability requires Auto Routing or application code that passes attacker-controlled invalid values to lang(); resulting memory exhaustion interrupts the PHP service.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.77%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in CodeIgniter 4 before 4.4.7 allows remote attackers to exhaust server memory through invalid language data. Language::formatMessage handles a failed MessageFormatter call by invoking lang() to format its own error, recursively repeating the same failure. Network reachability requires Auto Routing or application code that passes attacker-controlled invalid values to lang(); resulting memory exhaustion interrupts the PHP service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-29904
Published
Mar 29, 2024
Updated
Aug 21, 2024
Vendor
CodeIgniter Foundation
Product
CodeIgniter 4
Classifications
CWE-674, CWE-835, T1499
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 29, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 21, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=< 4.4.7

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

CodeIgniter Foundation · CodeIgniter 4version=< 4.4.7
CodeIgniter Foundation · CodeIgniterversion=4.0 <4.4.7

Published CVSS scores

7.5GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-674Uncontrolled Recursion
CWE-835Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop')
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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