CVE-2005-3248 in Ethereal
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the X11 dissector in Ethereal 0.10.12 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (divide-by-zero) via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/10/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-3248 represents a critical flaw within the X11 dissector component of Ethereal network protocol analyzer version 0.10.12 and earlier. This issue manifests as a divide-by-zero error that can be triggered remotely, potentially leading to system instability and denial of service conditions. The X11 dissector is responsible for analyzing and interpreting X Window System network traffic, which is fundamental for graphical user interface communications in Unix-like operating systems. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that multiple pathways exist for exploitation, making the vulnerability particularly concerning for network security professionals.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the X11 protocol parsing logic. When Ethereal encounters malformed X11 protocol data packets, the dissector fails to properly handle certain mathematical operations that result in division by zero errors. This type of error occurs when the dissector attempts to calculate values based on corrupted or malformed packet data without proper boundary checking or error handling mechanisms. The flaw directly relates to CWE-369, which specifically addresses the issue of divide-by-zero conditions in software implementations. Such conditions are particularly dangerous in network analysis tools because they can be triggered by external network traffic without requiring authentication or privileged access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially compromise the entire network monitoring infrastructure. When an attacker successfully triggers the divide-by-zero error, the Ethereal application crashes or becomes unresponsive, effectively rendering the network monitoring capability useless. This disruption can have cascading effects on network security operations, as administrators may lose visibility into critical network traffic during the period when the application is down. The vulnerability affects systems where Ethereal is deployed for continuous network monitoring, particularly in enterprise environments where network analysis tools are essential for security operations. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique related to network disruption and the T1071.004 technique for application layer protocol manipulation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-3248 require immediate action to address the root cause through software updates and network security measures. The most effective solution involves upgrading to Ethereal version 0.10.13 or later, where the X11 dissector has been patched to properly handle malformed input data and prevent divide-by-zero operations. Network administrators should also implement additional monitoring to detect unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The patch implementation should be carefully tested in controlled environments before deployment to ensure compatibility with existing network monitoring workflows. Organizations relying on Ethereal for security operations should consider alternative network protocol analyzers that have demonstrated more robust error handling capabilities. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls can limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts while maintaining overall network security posture.