CVE-2012-3825 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple integer overflows in Wireshark 1.4.x before 1.4.13 and 1.6.x before 1.6.8 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop) via vectors related to the (1) BACapp and (2) Bluetooth HCI dissectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2012-2392.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/29/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-3825 represents a critical security flaw affecting Wireshark versions 1.4.x prior to 1.4.13 and 1.6.x prior to 1.6.8. This vulnerability manifests through multiple integer overflow conditions that occur within the BACapp and Bluetooth HCI dissectors, which are essential components responsible for analyzing specific network protocols. The flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate the packet analysis process in a manner that can lead to system instability and denial of service conditions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves integer overflow conditions that specifically target the handling of packet data within the BACapp dissector, which processes Building Automation and Control Network protocols, and the Bluetooth HCI dissector responsible for analyzing Bluetooth communication data. When these dissectors encounter specially crafted malformed packets, the integer overflows cause the software to enter infinite loop conditions during packet processing. This occurs because the overflowed integer values exceed the maximum representable value for the data type, causing unexpected behavior in the packet analysis algorithms. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-190 as an integer overflow, which is a well-documented weakness in software development that can lead to various security implications including denial of service and potentially more severe consequences.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-3825 extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can effectively render Wireshark unusable for network analysis purposes. When an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, the affected system becomes unresponsive to network traffic analysis, which can severely impact network monitoring, troubleshooting, and security auditing activities. The infinite loop condition means that the application consumes excessive CPU resources while attempting to process the malformed packets, potentially causing system performance degradation or complete system hang. This vulnerability particularly affects network security professionals and system administrators who rely on Wireshark for network traffic analysis, as it can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication or special privileges. The vulnerability's impact is amplified in environments where Wireshark is used for continuous network monitoring or where automated analysis systems depend on its stability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-3825 primarily involve upgrading to patched versions of Wireshark, specifically versions 1.4.13 or 1.6.8 and later, which contain fixes for the integer overflow conditions in both dissectors. Network administrators should implement immediate patch management procedures to ensure all instances of Wireshark are updated across their infrastructure. Additional defensive measures include implementing network segmentation to limit exposure, deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify and block malformed packets, and establishing network monitoring protocols that can detect unusual CPU usage patterns indicating potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and boundary checking in network protocol analysis tools, as highlighted by ATT&CK technique T1499.001 which covers network denial of service attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing network access controls and firewall rules to restrict unnecessary access to systems running network analysis tools, reducing the attack surface for such vulnerabilities.