CVE-2018-17432 in HDF5
Summary
by MITRE
A NULL pointer dereference in H5O_sdspace_encode() in H5Osdspace.c in the HDF HDF5 through 1.10.3 library allows attackers to cause a denial of service via a crafted HDF5 file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/27/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-17432 represents a critical NULL pointer dereference flaw within the HDF5 library's space allocation handling mechanism. This issue resides in the H5O_sdspace_encode() function located in the H5Osdspace.c source file, which forms part of the HDF5 library version 1.10.3 and earlier releases. The flaw manifests when processing specially crafted HDF5 files that contain malformed space allocation metadata, creating a scenario where the library attempts to dereference a null pointer during the encoding process of dataset space information.
The technical execution of this vulnerability occurs during the normal operation of HDF5 file parsing when the library encounters malformed or maliciously constructed space allocation structures within the HDF5 container format. The H5O_sdspace_encode() function fails to properly validate input parameters before attempting to access memory locations, leading to a segmentation fault when the code attempts to dereference a NULL pointer. This condition effectively crashes the application process and results in a denial of service condition that prevents legitimate users from accessing the affected system or processing valid HDF5 files.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to systems that rely heavily on HDF5 file processing, particularly in scientific computing environments, data analysis platforms, and applications handling large datasets. The denial of service condition can be exploited by attackers who craft malicious HDF5 files to disrupt services, potentially causing system downtime or preventing legitimate data processing operations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in automated processing environments where applications may automatically handle or validate HDF5 files without proper input sanitization, creating potential cascading failures across dependent systems.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-476 which specifically addresses NULL pointer dereference conditions in software implementations. From an attack framework perspective, this flaw maps to the ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which involves network denial of service attacks through the exploitation of software vulnerabilities. Organizations utilizing HDF5 libraries for data storage and processing should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems, as the vulnerability can be exploited remotely through file processing without requiring user interaction or elevated privileges. Mitigation strategies include implementing input validation controls, deploying sandboxed processing environments for untrusted HDF5 files, and establishing regular security updates to maintain protection against similar vulnerabilities in the HDF5 library ecosystem.
The broader implications of this vulnerability extend beyond immediate denial of service conditions, as it demonstrates the critical importance of robust input validation in scientific computing libraries that handle complex binary formats. The flaw underscores the need for comprehensive security testing of data processing libraries and highlights the potential for seemingly benign file format parsing operations to become attack vectors when proper error handling mechanisms are absent or inadequate.