Local process crash via freed free-list node
Published Jun 29, 2025 · Updated Jun 30, 2025
Use-after-free in HDF5 1.14.6 allows local users to crash a linked process by supplying a crafted HDF5 file for parsing. H5FL__reg_gc_list traverses a regular-block free list during library shutdown and reads a next-node pointer from an entry freed by the same loop. The input must reach H5Fopen and create corrupted object-header continuation state; the demonstrated consequence is a heap-use-after-free and process termination.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in HDF5 1.14.6 allows local users to crash a linked process by supplying a crafted HDF5 file for parsing. H5FL__reg_gc_list traverses a regular-block free list during library shutdown and reads a next-node pointer from an entry freed by the same loop. The input must reach H5Fopen and create corrupted object-header continuation state; the demonstrated consequence is a heap-use-after-free and process termination.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-6856
- Published
- Jun 29, 2025
- Updated
- Jun 30, 2025
- Vendor
- The HDF Group
- Product
- HDF5
- Classifications
- CWE-119, CWE-416
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 29, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jun 30, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=1.14.6
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- hdf5_crash_6.txt reproducerproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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