CVE-2012-0068 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The lanalyzer_read function in wiretap/lanalyzer.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 Novell catpure file containing a record that is too small.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0068 represents a critical denial of service flaw within Wireshark's network protocol analysis capabilities. This issue affects versions 1.4.x prior to 1.4.11 and 1.6.x prior to 1.6.5, specifically targeting the lanalyzer_read function located in wiretap/lanalyzer.c. The flaw manifests when processing Novell capture files, which are commonly used for network traffic analysis and troubleshooting in enterprise environments. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly handle malformed packet records within these capture files, creating a condition where legitimate network analysis tools can be rendered completely inoperative through carefully crafted malicious inputs.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the lanalyzer_read function's failure to validate the minimum size requirements for records within Novell capture files. When Wireshark encounters a record that falls below the expected minimum size threshold, the application's memory management and parsing routines become unstable, leading to unpredictable behavior and ultimately application crash. This represents a classic buffer underflow condition where the software attempts to read or process data structures that are insufficiently sized, causing memory corruption and subsequent termination of the analysis process. The vulnerability operates at the wiretap layer of Wireshark's architecture, which serves as the foundational component for reading various network capture file formats, making it particularly dangerous as it can compromise the entire network analysis pipeline.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to network security teams and analysts who rely on Wireshark for critical network monitoring and incident response activities. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious Novell capture files and distributing them to unsuspecting users who might open these files within Wireshark, resulting in complete application disruption. The impact extends beyond simple service interruption as network analysts may lose access to crucial network traffic data during security investigations, potentially compromising ongoing threat assessments or forensic analysis efforts. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments where network administrators frequently analyze various capture files from different sources, as the attack vector requires no specialized privileges or complex exploitation techniques beyond the ability to distribute malicious files.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses insufficient validation of length of input buffers, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves network disruption through denial of service attacks. Organizations using affected Wireshark versions face substantial operational risk as this vulnerability can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication or specialized knowledge of the target system. The lack of proper input sanitization creates a persistent threat vector that can be leveraged by adversaries to disrupt network monitoring capabilities across multiple systems. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability represents a fundamental flaw in the application's defensive programming practices and highlights the importance of robust input validation in network analysis tools. The remediation approach requires immediate patching of affected Wireshark installations to version 1.4.11 or 1.6.5, which includes enhanced validation mechanisms that properly check record sizes before processing, thereby preventing the buffer underflow condition that leads to application crashes.
Organizations should implement additional protective measures including network segmentation to limit exposure to potentially malicious capture files, regular security updates to maintain current vulnerability patches, and network monitoring to detect unusual application behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of validating all external inputs in network analysis tools and demonstrates how seemingly benign file format processing can become a significant security risk when proper validation mechanisms are absent. Network security teams should prioritize updating their Wireshark installations and consider implementing automated patch management processes to ensure timely remediation of similar vulnerabilities that may emerge in the future.