Heap-based Buffer Overflow in Unidata netCDF-C

Executive Summary

Unidata netcdf-c through version 4.10.1 has an out-of-bounds write flaw in the NC4_HDF5_inq_attname() function. This function copies HDF5 attribute names into a fixed 256-byte buffer without checking the length of the input. Attackers can exploit this by creating HDF5 files with attribute names longer than 256 bytes, causing the buffer to overflow. This leads to memory corruption and potential crashes when the application tries to read attribute names.

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Detection Guidance

This vulnerability can be detected by checking the version of netcdf-c installed on your system. If the version is 4.10.1 or earlier, the system is vulnerable. Use the command 'nc-config --version' or 'ncdump -V' to check the installed version.

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Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial-of-service conditions on systems using vulnerable versions of netcdf-c. If you process untrusted HDF5 files, an attacker could craft a malicious file to crash your application or take control of your system. The impact depends on how the library is used in your environment.

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Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could potentially impact compliance with GDPR and HIPAA by enabling memory corruption through crafted HDF5 files. Such corruption might lead to unauthorized data access, integrity breaches, or service disruptions, which are critical concerns under these regulations. However, specific compliance impacts depend on system configuration and usage.

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Mitigation Strategies

Immediately update netcdf-c to the latest version beyond 4.10.1. If updating is not possible, restrict access to applications using netcdf-c to trusted users and avoid processing untrusted HDF5 files.

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