CVE-2018-14032 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_new_decode in H5Ofill.c, related to HDmemcpy.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/04/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-14032 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_new_decode function located in the H5Ofill.c source file, where the problematic code path involves the HDmemcpy operation. The HDF5 library serves as a fundamental component in scientific computing environments, particularly in fields such as climate modeling, astrophysics, and computational biology where massive datasets are routinely processed and analyzed. The vulnerability affects systems that utilize the HDF5 library for reading or writing data files, creating potential security risks for applications that depend on this data format.
The technical nature of this flaw stems from improper bounds checking during the decoding process of fill values within HDF5 object headers. When the H5O_fill_new_decode function processes incoming data, it performs memory operations that do not adequately validate the size of the buffer being copied, leading to a situation where more data is read from memory than allocated. This heap-based over-read occurs because the HDmemcpy function is called with potentially invalid parameters that exceed the bounds of the allocated memory region. The vulnerability manifests when maliciously crafted HDF5 files are processed by applications that use the affected library version, allowing an attacker to potentially read sensitive data from adjacent memory locations or cause application instability through memory corruption.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-14032 extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it can potentially enable information disclosure attacks and arbitrary code execution in vulnerable applications. Attackers who can influence the input to applications using the affected HDF5 library may exploit this vulnerability to extract confidential information stored in memory, potentially including authentication credentials, encryption keys, or other sensitive data. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and represents a significant concern for security-conscious organizations that rely on scientific data processing workflows. The issue affects not only standalone applications but also complex systems that integrate HDF5 functionality, including data analysis platforms, simulation environments, and research computing infrastructures. The potential for remote code execution exists when applications that process untrusted HDF5 input fail to properly validate file contents before passing them to the vulnerable library functions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected systems with updated HDF5 library versions that contain the necessary fixes for the buffer over-read condition. Organizations should prioritize updating their applications and systems that utilize the HDF5 library, particularly those handling untrusted data inputs or operating in security-sensitive environments. Security teams should implement input validation measures to verify HDF5 file integrity before processing, and consider deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious file access patterns. The ATT&CK framework's technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for credential access through malicious file formats may be relevant in analyzing potential exploitation scenarios. Additionally, implementing proper memory safety controls and conducting regular security assessments of data processing pipelines can help reduce the risk exposure associated with this and similar vulnerabilities in scientific computing environments.