CVE-2018-17233 in HDF5
Summary
by MITRE
A SIGFPE signal is raised in the function H5D__create_chunk_file_map_hyper() of H5Dchunk.c in the HDF HDF5 through 1.10.3 library during an attempted parse of a crafted HDF file, because of incorrect protection against division by zero. It could allow a remote denial of service attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/25/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-17233 represents a critical flaw in the Hierarchical Data Format version 5 library commonly known as HDF5. This issue exists within the H5D__create_chunk_file_map_hyper() function located in the H5Dchunk.c source file, where the library fails to properly validate input parameters during the parsing of specially crafted HDF5 files. The flaw manifests as a SIGFPE signal that interrupts normal program execution when the library attempts to process malformed data structures that trigger division by zero conditions during chunk file mapping operations.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the HDF5 library's chunk management system. When processing HDF5 files containing maliciously constructed metadata, the H5D__create_chunk_file_map_hyper() function performs arithmetic operations without proper checks for zero denominators, leading to a floating-point exception that terminates the application process. This particular code path operates within the library's internal chunk file mapping functionality where it attempts to calculate hypercube dimensions and coordinate transformations for data storage management. The vulnerability classifies under CWE-369 as a division by zero error that occurs in a security-sensitive context, specifically within data parsing operations that handle user-supplied file formats.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as it creates a remote attack vector that allows malicious actors to exploit the flaw through crafted HDF5 files delivered via various attack vectors. An attacker could potentially trigger this condition by uploading specially formatted HDF5 files to web applications or services that utilize the affected HDF5 library version 1.10.3 or earlier, resulting in application crashes and service unavailability. This vulnerability affects systems that process HDF5 formatted data, including scientific computing environments, data analysis platforms, and applications that store or manipulate large datasets using the HDF5 format. The attack surface includes web applications, desktop software, and server-side processing systems that rely on HDF5 libraries for data management operations, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where data processing pipelines may be exposed to untrusted inputs.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-17233 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems with the vendor-provided security updates that address the division by zero condition in the H5D__create_chunk_file_map_hyper() function. Organizations should implement input validation controls that filter or sanitize HDF5 file inputs before processing, particularly in scenarios where files originate from untrusted sources. Network-based protections such as intrusion detection systems can be configured to monitor for suspicious file upload patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing sandboxing mechanisms for HDF5 file processing and maintaining up-to-date security monitoring tools will help detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation and exception handling in security-sensitive applications, particularly those handling complex binary file formats that require extensive parsing and mathematical operations. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1499.004 (Network Denial of Service) and T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) as potential attack paths, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security controls that address both the immediate vulnerability and broader exploitation patterns.