CVE-2026-29043: HDF5 H5T__ref_mem_setnull Heap Buffer Overflow
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2026-29043 is a medium (CVSS 5.5) Heap-based Buffer Overflow vulnerability in hdfgroup hdf5. EPSS estimates a 0.21% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 11.6% of scored vulnerabilities. 1 public exploit is recorded.
Not severe (CVSS 5.5, local access); no exploitation reported by the 5 checked sources
Source freshness unavailable
How is this decided?Timeline
- 10-04-2026PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 14-04-2026Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
HDF5 is software for managing data. In 1.14.1-2 and earlier, an attacker who can control an h5 file parsed by HDF5 can trigger a write-based heap buffer overflow condition in the H5T__ref_mem_setnull method. This can lead to a denial-of-service condition, and potentially further issues such as remote code execution depending on the practical exploitability of the heap overflow against modern operating systems.
CVSS metrics
4 scores · 4 sources · 1 version- OSV · UbuntuEcosystem advisory · calculated5.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- OSV · DebianEcosystem advisory · calculated5.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- NVDNIST5.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
EPSS trend
Probability
0.21%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
12%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
Increase +0.01 pp
From 0.20% on 04-10-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogs
CISA KEVNot in the CISA KEV catalog.
ENISA CNWNot in the ENISA CNW catalog.
CIRCLNot in the CIRCL catalog.
Public exploits
1 foundHdf5
Maturity: poc
Weaknesses
CWE · root causeAffected systems
Known conditions: local access, no authentication, user interaction (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.
Debian1 product
- hdf5All versions (No fix recorded)
Hdfgroup1 product
- hdf5≤ 1.14.1-2
Ubuntu1 product
- hdf5All versions (No fix recorded)
3 vendors · 3 products
References
4 links- github.com/HDFGroup/hdf5/security/advisories/GHSA-qm2m-5g5w-2277X Refsource CONFIRMREPORTExploitVendor Advisory
