CVE-2012-3548 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The dissect_drda function in epan/dissectors/packet-drda.c in Wireshark 1.6.x through 1.6.10 and 1.8.x through 1.8.2 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop and CPU consumption) via a small value for a certain length field in a capture file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-3548 represents a critical denial of service flaw within Wireshark's packet dissection engine, specifically affecting versions 1.6.x through 1.6.10 and 1.8.x through 1.8.2. This issue resides in the dissect_drda function located within the epan/dissectors/packet-drda.c file, which is responsible for parsing Data Base Requester (DRDA) protocol data. The DRDA protocol is commonly used for communication between applications and database servers, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for network monitoring and security analysis environments where Wireshark is extensively deployed. The flaw manifests when processing capture files containing maliciously crafted DRDA packets with manipulated length fields, creating a scenario where the dissection process becomes trapped in an infinite loop.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the dissect_drda function, which fails to properly validate length field values before processing them in loop constructs. When a capture file contains a DRDA packet with an abnormally small length value, the function attempts to iterate based on this invalid parameter, resulting in an infinite loop that consumes excessive CPU resources. This behavior directly violates the principle of defensive programming and represents a classic example of a resource exhaustion attack vector. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that Wireshark's dissection engine processes all packets in captured files automatically, meaning that simply opening a malicious capture file can trigger the denial of service condition without any user interaction or special privileges required. This characteristic makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in automated network monitoring scenarios or when users open untrusted capture files.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability extend beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise entire network analysis workflows. In enterprise environments where Wireshark serves as a critical diagnostic and forensic tool, an attacker could remotely force network analysts to experience system resource exhaustion by simply sending them a malicious capture file. This would effectively prevent legitimate network troubleshooting activities and could be exploited as part of a broader attack campaign targeting security operations. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-835, which addresses infinite loops in software implementations, and demonstrates how improper validation of protocol fields can lead to resource exhaustion attacks. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique related to network denial of service and represents a significant threat to the availability of network monitoring infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-3548 primarily involve immediate version upgrades to patched releases of Wireshark, specifically versions 1.6.11 and 1.8.3, which contain the necessary code modifications to properly validate length fields before processing them in loop constructs. Network administrators should also implement capture file validation procedures, including the use of automated tools to scan for potentially malicious packet captures before opening them in Wireshark. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to untrusted network traffic that could contain malicious capture files. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation in network protocol parsers and the potential for seemingly benign parsing flaws to result in significant availability impacts. Security teams should also ensure that their incident response procedures include protocols for handling potential denial of service conditions in network analysis tools, as the exploitation of such vulnerabilities can severely impact operational security capabilities.