---
license: apache-2.0
tags:
- security-research
- hdf5
- h5py
- model-file-vulnerability
- huntr-mfv
---

# HDF5 Trigger Backdoor PoC

This repository contains a benign security research proof of concept for an
HDF5 model-file vulnerability report.

Files:

- `control_hdf5_classifier.h5`
- `malicious_hdf5_trigger.h5`
- `reproduce.py`

The malicious HDF5 file is loaded with `h5py.File()`. It behaves like the
control file for normal inputs, but hidden datasets in the file change the
model output during inference for a trigger input.

Tested runtime:

- `h5py==3.14.0`
- `HDF5==1.14.6`
- `numpy==2.4.6`
- trigger entrypoint: `h5py.File(path, "r"); numpy inference`

Scanner result:

- `modelscan==0.8.8`
- scanner: `H5LambdaDetectScan`
- result: `No issues found!`
- skipped reason: `Model Config not found`

Public files:

- Control: `https://huggingface.co/hacnho/hdf5-trigger-backdoor-poc/resolve/main/control_hdf5_classifier.h5`
- Malicious: `https://huggingface.co/hacnho/hdf5-trigger-backdoor-poc/resolve/main/malicious_hdf5_trigger.h5`
- Reproducer: `https://huggingface.co/hacnho/hdf5-trigger-backdoor-poc/resolve/main/reproduce.py`

Reproduction:

```bash
python -m venv /tmp/hdf5-trigger-poc-venv
. /tmp/hdf5-trigger-poc-venv/bin/activate
pip install 'numpy' 'h5py' 'modelscan==0.8.8'

curl -L -o control_hdf5_classifier.h5 \
  https://huggingface.co/hacnho/hdf5-trigger-backdoor-poc/resolve/main/control_hdf5_classifier.h5
curl -L -o malicious_hdf5_trigger.h5 \
  https://huggingface.co/hacnho/hdf5-trigger-backdoor-poc/resolve/main/malicious_hdf5_trigger.h5
curl -L -o reproduce.py \
  https://huggingface.co/hacnho/hdf5-trigger-backdoor-poc/resolve/main/reproduce.py

python reproduce.py control_hdf5_classifier.h5 malicious_hdf5_trigger.h5
```

Expected output:

```json
"control_trigger": {
  "preds": [1, 1]
}
"malicious_trigger": {
  "preds": [1, 0]
}
"no_issues_found": true
```