The H5Z__nbit_decompress_one_byte, H5Z__nbit_decompress_one_nooptype, and H5Z__nbit_decompress_one_atomic functions in H5Znbit.c in HDF5 through 2.3.0 advance a read index into the compressed chunk buffer without bounding it against the buffers actual size. This allows attackers to cause an out-of-bounds heap read, and in constrained cases disclosure of adjacent heap memory into decompressed dataset values, via a crafted HDF5 file whose N-Bit filter parameters describe more decompressed data than the stored compressed chunk actually contains, triggered via H5Dread, e.g. by the h5ls or h5repack tools.
Weakness
The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
Potential Mitigations
- Assume all input is malicious. Use an “accept known good” input validation strategy, i.e., use a list of acceptable inputs that strictly conform to specifications. Reject any input that does not strictly conform to specifications, or transform it into something that does.
- When performing input validation, consider all potentially relevant properties, including length, type of input, the full range of acceptable values, missing or extra inputs, syntax, consistency across related fields, and conformance to business rules. As an example of business rule logic, “boat” may be syntactically valid because it only contains alphanumeric characters, but it is not valid if the input is only expected to contain colors such as “red” or “blue.”
- Do not rely exclusively on looking for malicious or malformed inputs. This is likely to miss at least one undesirable input, especially if the code’s environment changes. This can give attackers enough room to bypass the intended validation. However, denylists can be useful for detecting potential attacks or determining which inputs are so malformed that they should be rejected outright.
- To reduce the likelihood of introducing an out-of-bounds read, ensure that you validate and ensure correct calculations for any length argument, buffer size calculation, or offset. Be especially careful of relying on a sentinel (i.e. special character such as NUL) in untrusted inputs.