CVE-2024-33873

What it actually does

Heap-based buffer overflow in H5D__scatter_mem allows adjacent memory corruption during data scattering operations in HDF5 file handling.

Why it matters to the business

Applications using HDF5 for scientific data storage and processing face risk of crashes, data corruption, or remote code execution when handling untrusted files, potentially disrupting research workflows and exposing sensitive datasets.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker supplies a specially crafted HDF5 dataset that triggers oversized memory operations in the scatter function, overflowing the heap buffer to corrupt adjacent structures and potentially achieve arbitrary code execution.

How to fix it

Upgrade hdfgroup/hdf5 to commit 88429b015e29c59de604b0f552001fb7cb7ed5d0 or later; rebuild dependent applications against the patched library.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm library version is built from the fixed commit or later; run regression tests with malformed HDF5 inputs and monitor for crashes or sanitizer alerts.

Typical attack path

1. Identify target systems processing HDF5 files from untrusted sources
2. Craft malicious HDF5 file exploiting the scatter_mem overflow
3. Deliver file via network, shared storage, or application input
4. Trigger parsing of the dataset to execute the overflow
5. Leverage corruption for code execution or denial of service

How to detect it

Review application logs for HDF5 parsing errors or segmentation faults during file ingestion; inspect core dumps or memory sanitizer reports for heap overflow patterns in H5Dscatgath.c.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize upgrade of HDF5 library in all build pipelines and containers
• Scan repositories for direct or transitive dependencies on vulnerable HDF5 versions
• Implement input validation or sandboxing for HDF5 processing until patched
• Monitor EPSS and exploit maturity for changes in threat level