CVE-2007-6113 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
Integer signedness error in the DNP3 dissector in Wireshark (formerly Ethereal) 0.10.12 to 0.99.6 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (long loop) via a malformed DNP3 packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/03/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-6113 represents a critical integer signedness error within the DNP3 dissector component of Wireshark, formerly known as Ethereal, affecting versions ranging from 0.10.12 through 0.99.6. This flaw exists in the protocol decoding logic responsible for analyzing DNP3 (Distributed Network Protocol) packets, which are commonly used in industrial control systems and power grid communications. The issue manifests when processing malformed DNP3 packets that contain specifically crafted integer values, causing the dissector to enter an infinite loop during packet analysis. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-190 category of Integer Overflow or Wraparound, specifically demonstrating how improper handling of signed integer values can lead to unexpected program behavior. The DNP3 protocol dissector in Wireshark is designed to parse and display the contents of DNP3 packets for network analysis purposes, but the signedness error creates a condition where a negative integer value is interpreted as a positive loop counter, resulting in an extended processing time that can effectively crash or hang the network analysis tool.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can be exploited by remote attackers to disrupt network monitoring activities in critical infrastructure environments where Wireshark is commonly deployed for protocol analysis. When an attacker crafts a malicious DNP3 packet with a specially formatted integer field, the dissector's loop condition becomes malformed, causing the application to consume excessive CPU resources and potentially become unresponsive. This behavior aligns with ATT&CK technique T1498.001 for Denial of Service, specifically targeting network analysis tools that process network traffic. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in industrial environments where continuous network monitoring is essential for operational security, as it can prevent legitimate network analysis and monitoring activities from functioning properly. The flaw demonstrates how protocol parsing errors in network analysis tools can create security risks that affect system availability, especially when these tools are used in environments where network monitoring is critical for operational integrity.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-6113 involve immediate upgrading to Wireshark versions that have patched this vulnerability, specifically versions 0.99.7 and later where the integer signedness error has been corrected. Network administrators should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious traffic, while deploying network monitoring solutions that can detect and alert on unusual processing patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The fix implemented by the Wireshark development team addresses the root cause by ensuring proper handling of signed integer values in the DNP3 dissector, preventing the condition that leads to the infinite loop scenario. Organizations should also consider implementing network access control lists to restrict DNP3 traffic from untrusted networks, as well as maintaining updated threat intelligence feeds that can help identify and block malicious DNP3 traffic patterns. Regular security assessments of network analysis tools and protocols should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities that could affect other dissector components or protocol analysis functions within the toolset. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of robust input validation and proper integer handling in network protocol analysis tools, particularly those used in critical infrastructure environments where availability is paramount to operational security.