CVE-2011-3482 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The csnStreamDissector function in epan/dissectors/packet-csn1.c in the CSN.1 dissector in Wireshark 1.6.x before 1.6.2 does not initialize a certain structure member, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a malformed packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3482 resides within the CSN.1 dissector component of Wireshark, specifically in the csnStreamDissector function located in epan/dissectors/packet-csn1.c. This flaw affects Wireshark versions 1.6.x prior to 1.6.2, representing a critical denial of service vulnerability that can be exploited remotely. The issue manifests when processing malformed network packets that contain improperly structured CSN.1 protocol data, which is a telecommunications protocol used for encoding data in telecommunication systems.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from insufficient initialization of a structure member within the csnStreamDissector function. When Wireshark processes a malformed CSN.1 packet, the function fails to properly initialize a critical data structure member before utilizing it in subsequent processing operations. This uninitialized memory access creates a condition where the application attempts to read or write to memory locations that have not been properly allocated or set, leading to unpredictable behavior and ultimately application instability. The vulnerability follows the CWE-457 principle of using uninitialized variables, which is a well-documented weakness in software development that can lead to various security implications including denial of service and potential information disclosure.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to network monitoring and analysis environments that rely on Wireshark for packet inspection. Attackers can exploit this flaw by crafting and transmitting specially crafted malformed CSN.1 packets to a victim system running an affected version of Wireshark. When the application attempts to dissect these malformed packets, the uninitialized structure member causes the application to crash or become unresponsive, resulting in a denial of service condition that disrupts network monitoring capabilities. This type of attack can be particularly problematic in network operations centers where continuous monitoring is essential for network health and security incident response.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application instability as it can be leveraged as a vector for more sophisticated attacks within the broader ATT&CK framework. While the primary effect is denial of service, the uninitialized memory access pattern could potentially be exploited to gain additional information about the application's memory layout or be combined with other vulnerabilities to achieve more severe outcomes. Network administrators and security professionals must consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture assessment, particularly in environments where Wireshark is used for critical network monitoring functions. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory management practices in network protocol analysis tools, which are essential components of network security infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-3482 primarily involve upgrading to Wireshark version 1.6.2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to properly initialize the affected structure member. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect and prevent the injection of malformed packets into their networks. Additionally, security teams should consider implementing network access controls and intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date network security tools and the necessity of thorough code review processes to identify and address uninitialized variable issues in protocol dissector implementations.