CVE-2011-0713 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in wiretap/dct3trace.c in Wireshark 1.2.0 through 1.2.14 and 1.4.0 through 1.4.3 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a long record in a Nokia DCT3 trace file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-0713 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow flaw discovered in Wireshark's wiretap/dct3trace.c module. This issue affects versions 1.2.0 through 1.2.14 and 1.4.0 through 1.4.3 of the popular network protocol analyzer software. The vulnerability specifically manifests when processing Nokia DCT3 trace files, which are used for capturing and analyzing mobile network traffic. The flaw occurs due to inadequate input validation and bounds checking during the parsing of record lengths within these specialized trace files. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious DCT3 trace files containing excessively long records that exceed the allocated buffer space, leading to memory corruption and unpredictable application behavior.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of variable-length data structures within the DCT3 trace file parsing routine. When Wireshark encounters a record with a length field that exceeds the expected buffer boundaries, the application attempts to write data beyond the allocated heap memory region. This heap-based buffer overflow creates opportunities for both denial of service conditions and potential code execution exploits. The vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which categorizes heap-based buffer overflow conditions where data is written beyond the bounds of heap allocated buffers. The flaw demonstrates poor memory management practices and insufficient validation of input parameters before memory allocation operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-0713 extends beyond simple application crashes, potentially enabling more severe consequences for network monitoring and security operations. Remote attackers can leverage this vulnerability to disrupt network analysis workflows by causing Wireshark to crash when processing maliciously crafted trace files, thereby creating denial of service conditions that affect network troubleshooting and security incident response activities. The vulnerability's potential for unspecified other impacts suggests it may also provide opportunities for privilege escalation or information disclosure depending on the execution environment. Organizations relying on Wireshark for network security monitoring face significant risks as this flaw could be exploited in targeted attacks against network infrastructure or security operations centers.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Wireshark installations to versions 1.2.15 and 1.4.4, which contain the necessary fixes for proper buffer bounds checking. Network security teams should implement defensive measures including the restriction of untrusted DCT3 trace file processing and the deployment of network monitoring solutions that can detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which covers command and control communications, as attackers may use this flaw to establish persistent access to network monitoring systems. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of vulnerable Wireshark installations to untrusted network traffic, while maintaining regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar memory corruption issues in network analysis tools.