CVE-2022-25942Public exploit

Code execution via unchecked GIF palette length

Published Aug 22, 2022 · Updated Apr 15, 2025

Out-of-bounds read in gif2h5 in The HDF Group HDF5 1.10.4 allows attackers to execute code via a crafted GIF file. The ReadGifHeader() loop trusts the GIF Global Color Table size without comparing it with the file length, advances beyond input data, and can turn corrupted parser state into an arbitrary free. Exploitation requires a user or application to invoke gif2h5 on the malicious file; successful corruption can crash the process or execute code in that process.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.61%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds read in gif2h5 in The HDF Group HDF5 1.10.4 allows attackers to execute code via a crafted GIF file. The ReadGifHeader() loop trusts the GIF Global Color Table size without comparing it with the file length, advances beyond input data, and can turn corrupted parser state into an arbitrary free. Exploitation requires a user or application to invoke gif2h5 on the malicious file; successful corruption can crash the process or execute code in that process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-25942
Published
Aug 22, 2022
Updated
Apr 15, 2025
Vendor
The HDF Group
Product
HDF5
Classifications
CWE-125, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 22, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 15, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=1.10.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The HDF Group · HDF5version=1.10.4

Published CVSS scores

7.8Cisco TalosCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-125Out-of-bounds Read
T1204.002Malicious File

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo