CVE-2018-15671 in HDF5
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in the HDF HDF5 1.10.2 library. Excessive stack consumption has been detected in the function H5P__get_cb() in H5Pint.c during an attempted parse of a crafted HDF file. This results in denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/17/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-15671 represents a critical stack overflow condition within the HDF5 library version 1.10.2, specifically manifesting in the H5P__get_cb() function located in H5Pint.c. This issue arises during the parsing of malformed HDF files, where the library's internal stack consumption grows excessively beyond normal operational parameters. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability as classified under CWE-772, where insufficient stack space management leads to program termination or system instability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the HDF5 library's property list handling mechanism. When a crafted malicious HDF file is processed, the H5P__get_cb() function recursively processes data structures without proper stack depth limitations, causing exponential stack consumption that eventually exhausts available stack memory. This behavior aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001 which describes resource exhaustion attacks targeting system resources including stack space. The function's recursive nature compounds the problem, as each recursive call consumes additional stack frames, leading to rapid depletion of the available stack memory space.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can potentially be exploited by malicious actors to disrupt critical data processing systems that rely on HDF5 library functionality. Applications using the affected library version may experience unexpected termination or system crashes when processing untrusted HDF files, affecting scientific computing environments, data analysis platforms, and storage systems that depend on HDF5 format for data management. The vulnerability affects systems where HDF5 is used for data interchange, particularly in high-performance computing environments where data integrity and system availability are paramount.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-15671 should prioritize immediate patching of the HDF5 library to version 1.10.3 or later, where the stack consumption issue has been addressed through enhanced input validation and stack depth controls. Additionally, implementing proper file validation procedures before processing HDF files, utilizing sandboxed environments for file analysis, and employing network segmentation to isolate systems processing untrusted HDF data can provide layered defense mechanisms. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual stack consumption patterns and process termination events that may indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management systems to ensure rapid deployment of security updates across all affected systems. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper stack management in library functions and serves as a reminder of the critical need for thorough input validation in scientific computing libraries that handle complex data formats.