CVE-2012-1596 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The mp2t_process_fragmented_payload function in epan/dissectors/packet-mp2t.c in the MP2T dissector in Wireshark 1.4.x before 1.4.12 and 1.6.x before 1.6.6 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a packet containing an invalid pointer value that triggers an incorrect memory-allocation attempt.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2012-1596 represents a critical memory corruption issue within Wireshark's MP2T dissector component that affects versions prior to 1.4.12 and 1.6.6. This flaw exists in the mp2t_process_fragmented_payload function located in epan/dissectors/packet-mp2t.c, which is responsible for processing MPEG-2 Transport Stream packets commonly used in broadcast television and streaming applications. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management practices within the dissector's handling of fragmented payload data, creating a scenario where malformed network traffic can trigger unexpected behavior in the network protocol analyzer.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a remote attacker crafts a specially malformed packet containing an invalid pointer value that is processed by the MP2T dissector. When the mp2t_process_fragmented_payload function attempts to handle this invalid pointer, it executes an incorrect memory-allocation attempt that leads to application instability and eventual crash. This represents a classic buffer overflow or memory corruption vulnerability where improper validation of input data results in the application attempting to allocate memory using invalid parameters. The flaw falls under CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, though the specific implementation involves heap corruption through improper pointer handling. The vulnerability demonstrates poor defensive programming practices where the dissector fails to validate pointer values before attempting memory operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially compromise the entire network analysis environment. When an attacker successfully exploits this flaw, the Wireshark application crashes, causing loss of network monitoring capabilities and potential data gaps during critical analysis periods. This is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where Wireshark is used for security monitoring, network troubleshooting, and forensic analysis. The vulnerability creates an attack surface that could be leveraged by malicious actors to disrupt network operations, particularly in scenarios where network administrators rely on continuous monitoring for security incident response. The attack requires only the ability to inject malicious network traffic into the monitored network segment, making it relatively easy to exploit in environments where network traffic is not properly filtered or monitored for malicious content.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations by upgrading to Wireshark versions 1.4.12 or 1.6.6 and later, which contain the necessary patches to address the memory allocation issue in the MP2T dissector. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the exposure of Wireshark instances to untrusted network traffic. The mitigation strategy should also include regular security assessments of network monitoring tools and implementation of intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on malformed traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with T1499.004, which covers network disruption, and T1566.002, which addresses spearphishing with malicious attachments, as it can be exploited through network-based attacks. Security teams should also consider implementing network traffic filtering rules that can block or quarantine suspicious MPEG-2 transport stream traffic to reduce the risk of exploitation.