CVE-2012-0041 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The dissect_packet function in epan/packet.c in Wireshark 1.4.x before 1.4.11 and 1.6.x before 1.6.5 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a long packet in a capture file, as demonstrated by an airopeek file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/20/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2012-0041 represents a classic buffer overflow condition that affects Wireshark's packet dissection engine, specifically within the dissect_packet function located in epan/packet.c. This flaw exists in Wireshark versions 1.4.x prior to 1.4.11 and 1.6.x prior to 1.6.5, making it a significant security concern for network analysis tools that process captured network traffic. The vulnerability manifests when Wireshark attempts to process a malformed packet within a capture file, particularly those containing excessively long packet data structures that exceed the expected buffer boundaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and boundary checking within the packet dissection routine. When Wireshark encounters a packet with excessive length data in a capture file such as an airopeek file, the dissect_packet function fails to properly validate the packet length against predetermined buffer limits. This allows an attacker to craft specially formatted capture files that contain packets with oversized data fields, causing the application to attempt memory access beyond allocated buffer boundaries. The resulting memory corruption leads to an application crash or denial of service condition, effectively rendering the network analysis tool unusable for its intended purpose.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to network security analysts and administrators who rely on Wireshark for network traffic analysis and troubleshooting. The remote attack vector means that an adversary could potentially deliver a malicious capture file through various means such as email attachments, file sharing platforms, or compromised websites, without requiring direct network access to the target system. The impact extends beyond simple application availability issues as it can disrupt critical network monitoring and forensic analysis operations, potentially causing delays in incident response and network troubleshooting activities. The vulnerability's exploitation demonstrates a clear pathway for attackers to perform denial of service attacks against systems running vulnerable versions of Wireshark.
The flaw aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of improper input validation in network protocol analysis software. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique related to network denial of service, and could be leveraged as part of broader reconnaissance or attack campaigns targeting network infrastructure. Organizations should implement immediate patch management procedures to upgrade to Wireshark versions 1.4.11 or 1.6.5 and later, which contain the necessary fixes for this buffer overflow condition. Additionally, network security teams should consider implementing capture file validation mechanisms and restricting access to potentially malicious network traffic files until systems are properly patched. The vulnerability underscores the importance of robust input validation and memory safety practices in network analysis tools that process untrusted data from various sources.