CVE-2025-4565: Unbounded recursion in Python Protobuf
### Summary Any project that uses Protobuf pure-Python backend to parse untrusted Protocol Buffers data containing an arbitrary number of **recursive groups**, **recursive messages** or **a series of [`SGROUP`](https://protobuf.dev/programming-guides/encoding/#groups) tags** can be corrupted by exceeding the Python recursion limit. Reporter: Alexis Challande, Trail of Bits Ecosystem Security Team [ecosystem@trailofbits.com](mailto:ecosystem@trailofbits.com) Affected versions: This issue only affects the [pure-Python implementation](https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/tree/main/python#implementation-backends) of protobuf-python backend. This is the implementation when `PROTOCOL_BUFFERS_PYTHON_IMPLEMENTATION=python` environment variable is set or the default when protobuf is used from Bazel or pure-Python PyPi wheels. CPython PyPi wheels do not use pure-Python by default. This is a Python variant of a [previous issue affecting protobuf-java](https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/security/advisories/GHSA-735f-pc8j-v9w8). ### Severity This is a potential Denial of Service. Parsing nested protobuf data creates unbounded recursions that can be abused by an attacker. ### Proof of Concept For reproduction details, please refer to the unit tests [decoder_test.py](https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/blob/main/python/google/protobuf/internal/decoder_test.py#L87-L98) and [message_test](https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/blob/main/python/google/protobuf/internal/message_test.py#L1436-L1478) ### Remediation and Mitigation A mitigation is available now. Please update to the latest available versions of the following packages: * protobuf-python(4.25.8, 5.29.5, 6.31.1)
Affected Software
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2025-4565?
CVE-2025-4565 has been classified with a high severity rating due to its potential to cause denial of service through resource exhaustion.
How do I fix CVE-2025-4565?
To fix CVE-2025-4565, upgrade your protobuf package to version 6.31.1 or newer, 5.29.5 or newer, or 4.25.8 or newer.
What software is affected by CVE-2025-4565?
CVE-2025-4565 affects projects using the pure-Python backend of the protobuf library with specific vulnerable versions.
What type of attack does CVE-2025-4565 enable?
CVE-2025-4565 enables denial of service attacks via recursive groups and messages in untrusted Protocol Buffers data.
What should I do if I cannot upgrade my protobuf package due to dependencies and I have CVE-2025-4565?
If you cannot upgrade due to dependencies, consider implementing strict input validation and limiting the size of Protocol Buffers data processed.