CVE-2018-13872 in HDF5
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in the HDF HDF5 1.8.20 library. There is a heap-based buffer overflow in the function H5G_ent_decode in H5Gent.c.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/02/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-13872 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow within the HDF Group's HDF5 1.8.20 library, specifically within the H5G_ent_decode function located in the H5Gent.c source file. This flaw exists in the hierarchical data format library that is widely used for storing and managing large amounts of scientific data across various domains including climate modeling, genomics, and aerospace engineering. The HDF5 library serves as a fundamental component in scientific computing environments where data integrity and system stability are paramount.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient bounds checking within the H5G_ent_decode function which processes group entries in HDF5 files. When the library attempts to decode group entries from malformed or maliciously constructed HDF5 files, the function fails to properly validate the size of input data before performing memory operations. This oversight allows an attacker to craft specially formatted HDF5 files that trigger a buffer overflow condition, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or denial of service scenarios. The vulnerability manifests as a heap-based buffer overflow because the function allocates memory on the heap without adequate size validation, making it susceptible to overflow conditions when processing oversized input data structures.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-13872 extends beyond simple system crashes, as it presents a significant security risk to organizations relying on HDF5 for data management. Systems utilizing vulnerable versions of HDF5 may become compromised when processing untrusted data files, particularly in environments where automated data ingestion occurs. The vulnerability affects applications across multiple platforms including Linux, Windows, and macOS, with potential consequences ranging from data corruption to complete system compromise. Security researchers have classified this issue as high severity due to its potential for remote code execution when the vulnerable library processes malicious input files.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-13872 require immediate action from system administrators and developers. The primary recommendation involves upgrading to HDF5 version 1.8.21 or later, which includes patches addressing the buffer overflow condition in the H5G_ent_decode function. Organizations should also implement input validation measures when processing HDF5 files, particularly those received from untrusted sources, and consider deploying sandboxing techniques to isolate vulnerable applications. Additionally, security teams should monitor their systems for potential exploitation attempts and implement network-based detection mechanisms to identify malicious HDF5 files. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and represents a potential vector for ATT&CK technique T1059, command and script interpreter, when exploited through compromised applications that utilize the vulnerable library.