CVE-2006-4331 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple off-by-one errors in the IPSec ESP preference parser in Wireshark (formerly Ethereal) 0.99.2 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-4331 represents a critical security flaw within Wireshark version 0.99.2 that specifically targets the IPSec Encapsulating Security Payload (ESP) preference parser functionality. This issue manifests through multiple off-by-one errors that occur during the parsing of IPSec ESP data structures, which are fundamental components of the Internet Protocol Security suite used to provide secure communication over IP networks. The vulnerability affects the network protocol analysis tool that was previously known as Ethereal, which has since been renamed to Wireshark and has become one of the most widely used network protocol analyzers in both professional and academic environments.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper boundary checking within the ESP preference parser implementation where off-by-one errors occur during memory access operations. These errors typically arise when loop counters or array indices are incorrectly incremented or decremented, leading to memory access violations or buffer overruns that can cause the application to crash or behave unpredictably. The specific vectors that trigger this vulnerability involve malformed IPSec ESP packets that are processed during network traffic analysis, particularly when the parser encounters certain preference values or configuration parameters within the ESP header structure. Such errors in the parsing logic can result in the application attempting to access memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries, which in turn leads to segmentation faults or access violations that terminate the application process.
The operational impact of CVE-2006-4331 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions as it represents a potential vector for more sophisticated attacks that could be leveraged by malicious actors to disrupt network monitoring operations. Network administrators and security professionals who rely on Wireshark for traffic analysis and security auditing would face significant operational challenges if an attacker successfully exploited this vulnerability, as it could result in complete service interruption during critical network analysis periods. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where continuous network monitoring is essential for security operations, as any disruption to the analysis tool could lead to missed security events or gaps in network visibility. Furthermore, this vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and boundary checking in protocol parsing implementations, which are fundamental requirements for maintaining application stability and security in network security tools.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate software updates and patches provided by the Wireshark development team, as the original version 0.99.2 contained the specific implementation flaws that enabled the off-by-one errors. Organizations should implement network monitoring systems that can detect and alert on unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while also ensuring that all network analysis tools are kept current with the latest security patches. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of array index values, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for the execution of malicious payloads through protocol analysis tools. Additionally, defensive measures should include implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure, while network administrators should consider deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify and block malformed IPSec traffic patterns that might be used to exploit this vulnerability. The incident underscores the critical need for rigorous code review processes and thorough testing of protocol parsing implementations, particularly in security tools where reliability and stability are paramount for effective network security operations.