CVE-2024-29163

What it actually does

Heap buffer overflow in H5T__bit_find corrupts the instruction pointer, enabling denial of service or arbitrary code execution.

Why it matters to the business

Applications processing HDF5 files risk crashes or attacker-controlled code execution on affected systems, potentially disrupting data workflows and requiring urgent updates across dependent scientific and analytics tools.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker crafts a malicious HDF5 file containing specially formed bitfield type information that triggers the overflow in H5T__bit_find during parsing; when the vulnerable library processes the file locally, the corrupted instruction pointer can lead to crashes or code execution.

How to fix it

Upgrade hdfgroup/hdf5 to the fixed commit 88429b015e29c59de604b0f552001fb7cb7ed5d0 or later; rebuild and redeploy all dependent applications; test parsing of untrusted files post-upgrade.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm the installed HDF5 library reports a version containing commit 88429b015e29c59de604b0f552001fb7cb7ed5d0; run regression tests with malformed bitfield inputs to verify absence of overflow; monitor for segmentation faults during file processing.

Typical attack path

1. Identify or gain access to a system processing untrusted HDF5 files
2. Craft a malicious HDF5 dataset with oversized or malformed bitfield metadata targeting H5T__bit_find
3. Cause the target application to open or parse the malicious file
4. Trigger heap overflow and instruction pointer corruption to achieve denial of service or code execution

How to detect it

Review application and system logs for segmentation faults or crashes occurring during HDF5 file parsing; search for invocations of H5T__bit_find in stack traces or core dumps from affected processes.

• H5T__bit_find
• segmentation fault.*hdf5
• heap buffer overflow.*bit_find

What your security team should do

• Immediately update all HDF5 installations to the patched commit
• Inventory and prioritize patching of high-value systems that process external HDF5 data
• Implement input validation or sandboxing for untrusted HDF5 files until patches are applied
• Add monitoring for unusual crashes in HDF5-dependent processes