CVE-2026-17574: HDF5 contains a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability

Q: How do I fix CVE-2026-17574?

hdf5: upgrade to 2.1.1. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Q: Is CVE-2026-17574 being exploited?

CVE-2026-17574 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

Q: What does CVE-2026-17574 affect?

CVE-2026-17574 affects hdf5. Severity is medium (CVSS 5.5). HDF5 contains a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability. Processing a crafted HDF5 file containing an attribute with an invalid variable-length datatype type field may cause the application to crash when the attribute is read.

Q: How urgent is CVE-2026-17574?

Priority 20/100. No elevated risk signals yet.

Routine

MEDIUM 5.5UPGRADE

CVE-2026-17574 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 5.5) affecting hdf5. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

HDF5 contains a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability. Processing a crafted HDF5 file containing an attribute with an invalid variable-length datatype type field may cause the application to crash when the attribute is read.

Why this priority

No elevated risk signals yet

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score	5.5 (Medium)
Attack vector	Local
Attack complexity	Low
Privileges needed	None
User interaction	Required
EPSS exploit chance	0.1% (top 96%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-476, CWE-617
Published	2026-07-27
Last modified	2026-10-24

Publisher (CNA): HDFG · Vendor: hdfgroup

Last updated 2026-10-24 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2026-07-27 16:17 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-10-24 13:10 UTCUpdated Record last modified

hdfgroup hdf5 UPGRADE

Affected: < 2.1.1

Fixed in: 2.1.1

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy hdf5 || rpm -q hdf5 || hdf5 --version

2. UPGRADE to 2.1.1 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade hdf5

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade hdf5

Note

Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2026-17574?

hdf5: upgrade to 2.1.1. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2026-17574 being exploited?

CVE-2026-17574 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2026-17574 affect?

CVE-2026-17574 affects hdf5. Severity is medium (CVSS 5.5). HDF5 contains a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability. Processing a crafted HDF5 file containing an attribute with an invalid variable-length datatype type field may cause the application to crash when the attribute is read.

How urgent is CVE-2026-17574?

Priority 20/100. No elevated risk signals yet.

Related CVEs

CVE-2026-17573 MEDIUM 5.5 UPGRADE A double free vulnerability was discovered in the HDF5 library
CVE-2026-17572 MEDIUM 5.5 UPGRADE Heap-based buffer overflow in the SOHM list-index deserialization code in HDF5 through 2.1.1 on all platforms

References

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