CVE-2009-3549 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
packet-paltalk.c in the Paltalk dissector in Wireshark 1.2.0 through 1.2.2, on SPARC and certain other platforms, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a file that records a malformed packet trace.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/24/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-3549 represents a critical denial of service flaw within Wireshark's Paltalk dissector component. This issue affects Wireshark versions 1.2.0 through 1.2.2 and specifically manifests on SPARC architecture systems and certain other platforms. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the packet-paltalk.c file, which processes Paltalk protocol traffic during network packet analysis. When Wireshark encounters a malformed packet trace file containing improperly structured Paltalk protocol data, the dissector fails to handle the malformed input gracefully, resulting in application crash and complete service disruption.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which categorizes buffer overflow conditions that occur when insufficient space is allocated for data processing. The flaw operates at the protocol dissector level where Wireshark's packet analysis engine processes captured network traffic. When processing a specially crafted packet trace file, the Paltalk dissector attempts to parse malformed data structures without proper bounds checking or error handling mechanisms. This failure causes the application to terminate unexpectedly, creating a denial of service condition that prevents legitimate network analysis operations from continuing. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered remotely through the simple act of opening a malicious packet capture file, making it exploitable by attackers who can influence the files processed by Wireshark users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise network monitoring and forensic analysis capabilities. Network security professionals who rely on Wireshark for traffic analysis and incident response may find their investigative tools rendered unusable when encountering malicious packet captures. The vulnerability affects systems where Wireshark is used for network troubleshooting, security auditing, and forensic investigations, creating a window of opportunity for attackers to disrupt network operations. Attackers can craft packet trace files designed to trigger this specific crash condition, potentially causing denial of service against network monitoring infrastructure. This vulnerability particularly impacts environments where automated packet analysis systems or security tools rely on Wireshark's capabilities for network traffic inspection.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-3549 involve immediate version upgrades to Wireshark 1.2.3 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the malformed packet handling issue. Organizations should implement strict file validation procedures for packet capture files, particularly those received from untrusted sources or during security incident investigations. Network security teams should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious packet capture files. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation and error handling in network analysis tools, as outlined in the ATT&CK framework's defensive techniques for preventing application-level exploits. System administrators should also consider implementing automated monitoring to detect and alert on unexpected application crashes, particularly in environments where network analysis tools are critical infrastructure components. Regular security assessments and patch management procedures should include verification of dissector components within network analysis tools to prevent similar vulnerabilities from persisting in the network security toolchain.