CVE-2019-8396 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

The HDF HDF5 library version up to 1.10.4 has a vulnerability in H5O__layout_encode function in H5Olayout.c, leading to a denial of service due to a buffer overflow.

Understanding CVE-2019-8396

This CVE identifies a buffer overflow vulnerability in the HDF HDF5 library version up to 1.10.4, allowing attackers to cause a denial of service by exploiting a crafted HDF5 file.

What is CVE-2019-8396?

The vulnerability in the H5O__layout_encode function in H5Olayout.c can be exploited by attackers using a manipulated HDF5 file, resulting in a denial of service incident during file repacking.

The Impact of CVE-2019-8396

The incident is identified as an "Invalid write of size 2" and can lead to a denial of service attack.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-8396

The technical details of this CVE are as follows:

Vulnerability Description

A buffer overflow in H5O__layout_encode in H5Olayout.c in the HDF HDF5 through 1.10.4 library allows attackers to cause a denial of service via a crafted HDF5 file.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: n/a
Vendor: n/a
Versions affected: up to 1.10.4

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by attackers using a manipulated HDF5 file during the repacking process, triggering the issue of an "Invalid write of size 2."

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2019-8396, consider the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the HDF HDF5 library to a patched version.
Avoid opening untrusted HDF5 files.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and libraries to the latest versions.
Implement file validation checks to detect manipulated HDF5 files.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely patching of the HDF HDF5 library to mitigate the vulnerability.