EUVD-2024-30413

Comprehensive Technical Analysis of EUVD-2024-30413

1. Vulnerability Assessment and Severity Evaluation

The vulnerability described in EUVD-2024-30413 pertains to the HDF5 Library through version 1.14.3. Specifically, it involves the use of an uninitialized value in the H5A__attr_release_table function within H5Aint.c. This issue can lead to undefined behavior, potentially resulting in severe security implications.

Severity Evaluation:

• Base Score: 9.8 (Critical)
• Base Score Version: CVSS 3.1
• Base Score Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

The CVSS score of 9.8 indicates a critical vulnerability. The vector breakdown shows that the vulnerability can be exploited over the network (AV:N) with low complexity (AC:L), does not require privileges (PR:N) or user interaction (UI:N), and has a high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H).

2. Potential Attack Vectors and Exploitation Methods

Given the nature of the vulnerability, potential attack vectors include:

• Remote Code Execution (RCE): An attacker could exploit the uninitialized value to execute arbitrary code on the target system.
• Denial of Service (DoS): The vulnerability could be leveraged to crash the application or the system, leading to a denial of service.
• Data Corruption: Uninitialized values can lead to data corruption, affecting the integrity of the data stored or processed by the HDF5 Library.

Exploitation Methods:

• Memory Corruption: By manipulating the uninitialized value, an attacker could cause memory corruption, leading to arbitrary code execution or system crashes.
• Buffer Overflow: If the uninitialized value is used in a way that affects memory allocation or buffer management, it could result in buffer overflows.

3. Affected Systems and Software Versions

The vulnerability affects all systems and applications that use the HDF5 Library through version 1.14.3. This includes:

• Scientific and Engineering Applications: Many scientific and engineering applications rely on HDF5 for data storage and management.
• High-Performance Computing (HPC) Environments: HDF5 is widely used in HPC for handling large datasets.
• Data Analysis Tools: Tools and frameworks that utilize HDF5 for data analysis and visualization.

4. Recommended Mitigation Strategies

To mitigate the risk associated with this vulnerability, the following strategies are recommended:

• Update to the Latest Version: Upgrade to HDF5 version 1.14.4 or later, which includes the fix for this vulnerability.
• Patch Management: Ensure that all systems and applications using the HDF5 Library are regularly updated and patched.
• Network Security: Implement robust network security measures to prevent unauthorized access and exploitation.
• Input Validation: Enhance input validation and sanitization to reduce the risk of memory corruption and buffer overflows.
• Monitoring and Logging: Implement comprehensive monitoring and logging to detect and respond to any suspicious activities.

5. Impact on European Cybersecurity Landscape

The impact of this vulnerability on the European cybersecurity landscape is significant due to the widespread use of the HDF5 Library in various critical sectors, including scientific research, engineering, and high-performance computing. The potential for remote code execution and data corruption poses a substantial risk to data integrity, confidentiality, and availability.

Organizations and institutions within the EU must prioritize the identification and mitigation of this vulnerability to protect sensitive data and ensure the continuity of critical operations.

6. Technical Details for Security Professionals

Vulnerability Details:

• Function Affected: H5A__attr_release_table in H5Aint.c
• Issue: Use of an uninitialized value
• Potential Consequences: Undefined behavior, memory corruption, buffer overflows, remote code execution, denial of service, data corruption

References:

• HDF Group Announcement: New HDF5 CVE Issues Fixed in 1.14.4

Aliases:

• CVE: CVE-2024-32611
• GSD: GSD-2024-32611

Assigner: Mitre

EPSS: N/A

ENISA ID:

• Product: n/a
• Vendor: n/a

Security professionals should prioritize the identification of systems and applications using the affected versions of the HDF5 Library and implement the recommended mitigation strategies to protect against potential exploitation. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments are essential to ensure the ongoing security of critical systems.