CVE-2018-17233 : Security Advisory and Response

CVE-2018-17233 is a vulnerability in the HDF HDF5 library that allows a remote attacker to trigger a denial of service attack by exploiting a division by zero issue.

Understanding CVE-2018-17233

What is CVE-2018-17233?

The function H5D__create_chunk_file_map_hyper() in the HDF HDF5 library versions 1.10.3 and below triggers a SIGFPE signal when analyzing a manipulated HDF file due to inadequate protection against division by zero.

The Impact of CVE-2018-17233

This vulnerability can be exploited by a remote attacker to execute a denial of service attack on systems using the affected versions of the HDF HDF5 library.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-17233

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from inadequate protection against division by zero in the H5Dchunk.c file of the HDF HDF5 library.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: n/a
Product: n/a
Versions: 1.10.3 and below

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by manipulating an HDF file to trigger a SIGFPE signal, leading to a denial of service attack.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the HDF HDF5 library to a patched version that addresses the division by zero issue.
Monitor for any unusual activity that could indicate an ongoing denial of service attack.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software libraries and dependencies to mitigate known vulnerabilities.
Implement network security measures to detect and prevent unauthorized access to systems.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches provided by the HDF HDF5 library to fix the division by zero vulnerability.