CVE-2018-13868 in HDF5
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in the HDF HDF5 1.8.20 library. There is a heap-based buffer over-read in the function H5O_fill_old_decode in H5Ofill.c.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/02/2020
The vulnerability CVE-2018-13868 represents a critical heap-based buffer over-read flaw within the HDF HDF5 1.8.20 library, a widely used format for storing and managing large amounts of scientific data. This issue resides in the H5O_fill_old_decode function located in the H5Ofill.c source file, making it particularly dangerous as it affects core functionality of the library responsible for handling fill values in HDF5 objects. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic memory safety issue where the application reads data from memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries, potentially leading to information disclosure, system instability, or exploitation for privilege escalation attacks. The flaw impacts systems that process HDF5 files, which are extensively used in scientific computing, data analysis, and storage applications across various industries including aerospace, finance, and research institutions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within the H5O_fill_old_decode function, which processes fill value information stored in HDF5 object headers. When parsing malformed or maliciously crafted HDF5 files, the function fails to validate the size of data being read from the buffer, allowing an attacker to trigger a buffer over-read condition. This type of vulnerability is classified as a CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read, which is a fundamental memory safety issue that occurs when a program accesses memory beyond the boundaries of a buffer. The over-read can potentially expose sensitive information from adjacent memory locations, including stack contents, heap data, or other process memory that might contain credentials, encryption keys, or other confidential data. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered through normal file processing operations without requiring special privileges, making it an attractive target for remote exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption, as it can be leveraged to achieve various malicious objectives within the ATT&CK framework. An attacker could potentially use this vulnerability to conduct information discovery activities by reading sensitive data from adjacent memory regions, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1005: Data from Local System. The vulnerability also enables privilege escalation scenarios when the affected application runs with elevated privileges, as demonstrated in various exploitation frameworks targeting similar buffer over-read conditions. Systems running applications that process HDF5 files, such as data analysis platforms, scientific computing environments, and storage management systems, become vulnerable to remote code execution attacks if the library is not properly patched. This vulnerability affects a broad range of applications that depend on the HDF5 library, including but not limited to data visualization tools, scientific simulation software, and enterprise data management systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-13868 should prioritize immediate patching of the HDF5 library to version 1.8.21 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the buffer over-read condition. Organizations should implement comprehensive vulnerability management processes that include regular scanning for outdated library versions and automated patch deployment. Additionally, input validation and sanitization measures should be strengthened when processing HDF5 files, including implementing strict file format validation, size checking, and memory boundary enforcement. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of systems processing HDF5 data, particularly in environments where untrusted files may be processed. The implementation of memory safety features such as address space layout randomization ASLR, stack canaries, and compiler-based protections can provide additional defense-in-depth measures against exploitation attempts. Regular security auditing of applications using the HDF5 library should be conducted to identify potential additional vulnerabilities and ensure proper implementation of memory safety practices throughout the software development lifecycle.