CVE-2025-6516
BaseFortify
Publication date: 2025-06-23
Last updated on: 2026-04-29
Assigner: VulDB
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| hdfgroup | hdf5 | to 1.14.6 (inc) |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-119 | The product performs operations on a memory buffer, but it reads from or writes to a memory location outside the buffer's intended boundary. This may result in read or write operations on unexpected memory locations that could be linked to other variables, data structures, or internal program data. |
| CWE-122 | A heap overflow condition is a buffer overflow, where the buffer that can be overwritten is allocated in the heap portion of memory, generally meaning that the buffer was allocated using a routine such as malloc(). |
| CWE-787 | The product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
CVE-2025-6516 is a critical heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability in the HDF5 library versions up to 1.14.6. It occurs in the function H5F_addr_decode_len within the source file H5Fint.c. The vulnerability arises because the function reads beyond the end of a heap-allocated buffer due to inadequate validation of buffer length before pointer incrementing. This leads to out-of-bounds memory access, causing undefined program behavior and potential security risks such as memory corruption or crashes. The issue was discovered using AddressSanitizer during fuzz testing and affects the decoding of file addresses in HDF5 cache image loading and dataset opening processes. Exploitation requires local access, and a public proof-of-concept exploit exists. [1, 2, 3]
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can impact you by causing memory corruption in applications using the affected HDF5 library versions, potentially leading to crashes or arbitrary code execution when processing crafted HDF5 files. Since it is a heap-based buffer overflow, it can compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system. Exploitation requires local access but is considered easy to perform, and a public exploit is available. No known mitigations exist, so affected versions should be replaced to avoid risk. [2, 3]
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
This vulnerability can be detected by monitoring the use of the HDF5 library, specifically versions up to 1.14.6, and by testing the function H5F_addr_decode_len for heap-based buffer overflow issues. Detection can be performed using fuzz testing tools such as AddressSanitizer combined with fuzzers like h5_extended_fuzzer to identify out-of-bounds reads during HDF5 file processing. There are no specific network detection commands since the exploit requires local access. For system-level detection, running AddressSanitizer on applications using HDF5 or using debugging tools to monitor heap buffer usage during HDF5 dataset opening or cache image loading can help identify the vulnerability. [1, 3]
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
Immediate mitigation steps include avoiding the use of affected HDF5 versions (1.14.0 through 1.14.6) and replacing them with alternative or patched versions once available. Since no known countermeasures or mitigations currently exist, restricting local access to systems running vulnerable HDF5 versions is critical to prevent exploitation. Monitoring for updates from the HDF5 project and applying patches or upgrades as soon as they are released is also recommended. [2]