CVE-2012-4290 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The CTDB dissector in Wireshark 1.4.x before 1.4.15, 1.6.x before 1.6.10, and 1.8.x before 1.8.2 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (loop and CPU consumption) via a malformed packet.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/27/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-4290 represents a critical denial of service flaw within Wireshark's CTDB dissector component. This issue affects multiple versions of the popular network protocol analyzer, specifically targeting the 1.4.x series before 1.4.15, 1.6.x series before 1.6.10, and 1.8.x series before 1.8.2. The CTDB dissector is responsible for analyzing Clustered TDB (CTDB) protocol traffic, which is commonly used in clustered file systems and high availability configurations. The vulnerability manifests when the dissector encounters malformed CTDB packets that trigger infinite loops during packet processing, leading to excessive cpu consumption and system resource exhaustion.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the improper handling of malformed network packets within the CTDB protocol parsing logic. When Wireshark processes a specially crafted CTDB packet, the dissector enters into an infinite loop due to flawed packet structure validation and recursive processing mechanisms. This behavior is classified as a CWE-835 loop with a potentially infinite number of iterations, directly impacting the software's ability to process subsequent network traffic. The flaw essentially creates a resource exhaustion condition where the CPU consumption spirals uncontrollably, effectively rendering the system unable to process legitimate network packets or perform other essential functions.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-4290 extends beyond simple service disruption, creating a potential attack vector for malicious actors to compromise network monitoring capabilities. In environments where Wireshark serves as a critical network analysis tool for security monitoring, system administrators, or network engineers, this vulnerability could be exploited to deny service to legitimate users while maintaining the ability to observe network traffic. The attack requires minimal privileges and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous in network monitoring contexts where analysts may unknowingly process malicious packets during routine network analysis. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.001, specifically targeting network denial of service through resource exhaustion.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-4290 primarily involve upgrading to patched versions of Wireshark where the CTDB dissector has been corrected to properly validate packet structures and prevent infinite loop conditions. The affected versions should be immediately updated to Wireshark 1.4.15, 1.6.10, or 1.8.2 respectively, which contain the necessary fixes to prevent malformed packet processing from causing system resource exhaustion. Network administrators should also implement network segmentation and packet filtering rules to prevent unauthorized access to systems running vulnerable versions of Wireshark, while monitoring for unusual CPU consumption patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems that can detect and alert on malformed CTDB traffic patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts.