CVE-2026-17573

Analyzed Analyzed - Analysis Complete

Double Free in HDF5 Library via h5repack

Publication date: 2026-07-27

Last updated on: 2026-08-18

Assigner: HDFG

Description

A double free vulnerability was discovered in the HDF5 library. Processing a crafted HDF5 file containing an oversized chunk size field via h5repack may cause the application to abort due to a double free.

CVSS Scores

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Meta Information

Published

2026-07-27

Last Modified

2026-08-18

Generated

2026-09-06

AI Q&A

2026-07-27

EPSS Evaluated

2026-09-04

NVD

CVE-2026-17573

EUVD

EUVD-2026-49319

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
hdfgroup	hdf5	to 2.2.0 (exc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-415	The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a double free error in the HDF5 library. When processing a specially crafted HDF5 file with an oversized chunk size field using the h5repack tool, the application may crash due to attempting to free the same memory twice. This causes the program to abort with a SIGABRT signal.

Detection Guidance

To detect this vulnerability, monitor for crashes in h5repack when processing HDF5 files with the -c (compression) option and --enable-error-stack. Look for error messages like 'free(): double free detected in tcache 2' or SIGABRT signals.

Impact Analysis

If you use the h5repack tool with the -c (compression) option and --enable-error-stack on a malformed HDF5 file, the program may crash unexpectedly. This could lead to data processing failures or denial of service if the tool is used in automated workflows.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability causes application crashes due to double free errors when processing crafted HDF5 files. While it does not directly impact data confidentiality or integrity, compliance risks may arise if the crashes lead to data corruption or unavailability during processing. Systems handling sensitive data under GDPR or HIPAA may face disruptions if this issue is not addressed.

Mitigation Strategies

Avoid using h5repack with the -c (compression) option and --enable-error-stack on untrusted HDF5 files. Update to a patched version of HDF5 once available. Monitor for crashes and restrict access to h5repack in critical systems.

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