CVE-2005-0739 in Ethereal
Summary
by MITRE
The IAPP dissector (packet-iapp.c) for Ethereal 0.9.1 to 0.10.9 does not properly use certain routines for formatting strings, which could leave it vulnerable to buffer overflows, as demonstrated using modified length values that are not properly handled by the dissect_pdus and pduval_to_str functions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/01/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0739 resides within the IAPP dissector component of Ethereal network protocol analyzer version 0.9.1 through 0.10.9. This dissector is responsible for parsing and interpreting IAPP (Inter-Access Point Protocol) packets that are commonly used in wireless networking environments for communication between access points. The flaw manifests in the improper handling of string formatting routines within the packet-iapp.c source file, creating a potential buffer overflow condition that could be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of packet length values during the processing of IAPP protocol data. Specifically, the dissect_pdus and pduval_to_str functions fail to properly validate or sanitize input parameters that contain modified length values. When these functions process malformed or unexpectedly large packet structures, they do not perform adequate bounds checking before copying data into fixed-size buffers. This oversight creates a classic buffer overflow scenario where attacker-controlled data can overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or denial of service conditions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to network monitoring systems that rely on Ethereal for wireless protocol analysis. Network administrators using affected versions of Ethereal could be vulnerable to remote exploitation if their systems process maliciously crafted IAPP packets. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as the buffer overflow could potentially allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Ethereal process, which typically runs with elevated permissions to capture network traffic. This presents a critical security concern for wireless network management environments where Ethereal is commonly deployed.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of improper input validation in network protocol parsing components. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for command and script interpreter execution and T1499.004 for network denial of service, as the flaw could enable both code execution and service disruption. The exploitation requires crafting specific IAPP packets with modified length fields that bypass normal protocol validation, making it a sophisticated attack vector that targets the protocol analyzer itself rather than the network endpoints it monitors.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate upgrading to Ethereal versions 0.10.10 or later, where the buffer overflow issues have been resolved through proper input validation and bounds checking. Administrators should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure, while monitoring for suspicious network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular security assessments of network monitoring tools and maintaining updated threat intelligence regarding protocol analyzer vulnerabilities should be part of comprehensive cybersecurity practices to prevent similar issues in other network analysis software components.