CVE-2018-15672 in HDF5
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in the HDF HDF5 1.10.2 library. A SIGFPE is raised in the function H5D__chunk_init() of H5Dchunk.c during an attempted parse of a crafted HDF file, because of incorrect protection against division by zero.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/17/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-15672 represents a critical integer division by zero flaw within the HDF5 library version 1.10.2, specifically manifesting in the H5D__chunk_init() function located in the H5Dchunk.c source file. This issue arises during the parsing of specially crafted HDF files that exploit the library's failure to properly validate input data before performing arithmetic operations. The flaw constitutes a classic software bug that can lead to abrupt program termination through a SIGFPE signal, which is generated when a program attempts to execute a division operation with a zero denominator.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the HDF5 library's chunk initialization routine. When processing malformed HDF files, the H5D__chunk_init() function fails to check whether a denominator value becomes zero during calculation operations, leading to an unhandled floating-point exception. This represents a CWE-369 vulnerability, specifically categorized under "Division by Zero" within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. The flaw exists in the library's data parsing logic where it assumes certain mathematical conditions will always be met, without implementing proper defensive programming measures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple program crashes, as it creates a potential denial-of-service condition that adversaries can exploit to disrupt applications relying on HDF5 libraries. Attackers can craft malicious HDF files that, when opened or processed by vulnerable applications, trigger the SIGFPE signal and cause the target application to terminate unexpectedly. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where HDF5 libraries are used for scientific data processing, as it could be leveraged to cause service disruption in critical applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a Denial of Service technique under the T1499.004 sub-technique, specifically targeting application availability through process termination.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-15672 primarily involve upgrading to patched versions of the HDF5 library, with version 1.10.3 and later containing the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all systems utilizing HDF5 libraries receive timely updates. Additionally, input validation should be strengthened through proper sanitization of HDF files before processing, and applications should implement robust error handling to prevent SIGFPE signals from causing application crashes. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of defensive programming practices and proper exception handling in security-critical software components, particularly when dealing with external data parsing operations.