CVE-2012-0066 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
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 (1) Accellent 5Views (aka .5vw) file, (2) I4B trace file, or (3) NETMON 2 capture file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0066 represents a critical denial of service flaw affecting Wireshark versions 1.4.x prior to 1.4.11 and 1.6.x prior to 1.6.5. This vulnerability manifests through improper handling of malformed packet data within specific file formats including Accellent 5Views .5vw files, I4B trace files, and NETMON 2 capture files. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the packet parsing routines that process these specialized file formats, creating a condition where maliciously crafted long packets can trigger application instability. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and demonstrates a classic buffer overflow or memory corruption pattern that has been categorized under CWE-129, which addresses insufficient validation of length fields. This weakness specifically aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks through malformed packet handling.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the parsing of packet data structures within the affected Wireshark versions where length fields in the packet headers are not properly validated against expected boundaries. When a maliciously constructed packet exceeding normal size parameters is encountered within any of the three supported file formats, the application's memory management routines fail to handle the oversized data gracefully. This leads to memory corruption or stack overflow conditions that ultimately result in application crash and complete service disruption. The vulnerability affects the core packet parsing engine of Wireshark, which is responsible for interpreting and displaying network traffic captured in various formats. Attackers can exploit this by crafting specially formatted files that contain long packets designed to exceed the allocated buffer space, causing the application to terminate unexpectedly.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-0066 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise network analysis workflows and security monitoring operations. Organizations relying on Wireshark for network traffic analysis, incident response, or security auditing may experience complete tool failure when processing maliciously crafted capture files. This vulnerability particularly impacts forensic analysis scenarios where analysts must process suspect network traffic, as simply opening a compromised file can crash the entire application. The remote attack vector means that adversaries can deliver malicious files through email attachments, file sharing systems, or web-based delivery mechanisms without requiring local system access. The vulnerability affects the availability aspect of the CIA triad and represents a significant concern for security operations centers that depend on continuous network monitoring capabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-0066 focus primarily on immediate software updates to patched versions of Wireshark. Organizations should upgrade to Wireshark 1.4.11 or 1.6.5 and later versions where the parsing routines have been hardened against oversized packet handling. Additionally, implementing file validation procedures before opening capture files in Wireshark can provide an additional layer of protection, though this approach may not be foolproof given the nature of the vulnerability. Network administrators should consider implementing automated scanning of files before they are processed by Wireshark, particularly for files received from untrusted sources. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation and defensive programming practices, aligning with security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-160 and ISO/IEC 27001 standards for secure software development lifecycle practices. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include checks for outdated network analysis tools to prevent exploitation of known weaknesses in legacy software versions.