CVE-2024-33874

What it actually does

Heap buffer overflow in the HDF5 library's H5O__mtime_new_encode function allows out-of-bounds writes during metadata encoding when processing crafted objects.

Why it matters to the business

Applications relying on HDF5 for scientific or large-scale data handling face risk of crashes, data corruption, or remote code execution, potentially disrupting research, analytics, and storage workflows across many dependent projects.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker supplies a specially crafted HDF5 file containing malformed mtime metadata; when the vulnerable library parses and encodes the object, the overflow corrupts heap memory, enabling arbitrary code execution or denial of service.

How to fix it

Upgrade hdfgroup/hdf5 to the commit 88429b015e29c59de604b0f552001fb7cb7ed5d0 or later; rebuild and redeploy all dependent applications; validate no older versions remain in build pipelines or containers.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm library version reports the fixed commit; run regression tests with known malformed mtime test cases; monitor for absence of crashes on crafted inputs.

Typical attack path

1. Identify target systems or services that parse untrusted HDF5 files
2. Craft malicious HDF5 file triggering overflow in H5Omtime.c
3. Deliver file via network, storage, or application input
4. Trigger parsing through normal library usage
5. Achieve memory corruption leading to code execution or crash

How to detect it

Review application logs for segmentation faults or heap corruption errors during HDF5 file parsing; inspect process crashes with stack traces pointing to H5Omtime.c; correlate file ingestion timestamps with anomalous behavior.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize upgrade of HDF5 library in all environments within 30 days given high CVSS
• Scan build systems and containers for affected versions
• Implement input validation or sandboxing for untrusted HDF5 files until patched
• Update dependency manifests to enforce fixed commit