CVE-2012-5237 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The dissect_hsrp function in epan/dissectors/packet-hsrp.c in the HSRP dissector in Wireshark 1.8.x before 1.8.3 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop) via a malformed packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/17/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5237 resides within the HSRP dissector component of Wireshark, specifically in the dissect_hsrp function located in epan/dissectors/packet-hsrp.c. This flaw affects Wireshark versions 1.8.x prior to 1.8.3, representing a critical denial of service vulnerability that can be exploited remotely by attackers. The issue manifests when the dissector encounters malformed HSRP packets during network traffic analysis, creating a condition where the software enters an infinite loop rather than properly handling the invalid input data.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the packet parsing logic. When the dissect_hsrp function processes HSRP (Hot Standby Router Protocol) packets, it fails to properly validate the structure and content of the received data. This lack of proper bounds checking and state validation allows malformed packets to trigger an infinite loop in the dissector's execution flow, causing the application to consume excessive CPU resources and potentially crash or become unresponsive. The vulnerability is classified as a CWE-835: Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition, which directly maps to the infinite loop scenario described in the exploit.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to network monitoring and analysis environments that rely on Wireshark for traffic inspection. Network administrators and security analysts using affected versions of Wireshark could experience complete service disruption when analyzing network traffic containing maliciously crafted HSRP packets. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can trigger this denial of service condition without requiring local access or elevated privileges, making it particularly dangerous in network monitoring scenarios where automated analysis tools might process untrusted network traffic. This vulnerability directly impacts the availability of network analysis capabilities and can be leveraged to disrupt network operations.
The impact extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise network security monitoring operations. Organizations relying on Wireshark for intrusion detection, network troubleshooting, and security analysis may find their monitoring tools rendered ineffective when processing malicious traffic. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1498.001: Network Denial of Service, where adversaries exploit software flaws to make network resources unavailable to legitimate users. The vulnerability also relates to ATT&CK technique T1595.002: Network Device Discovery, as it can be used to disrupt network monitoring infrastructure that relies on proper packet analysis capabilities. Organizations should prioritize updating to Wireshark 1.8.3 or later versions that contain the patched dissector implementation, which includes proper input validation and loop termination conditions to prevent the infinite loop scenario.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate version upgrades to Wireshark 1.8.3 or higher, which contain the necessary code modifications to handle malformed HSRP packets gracefully. Network security teams should also implement traffic filtering rules to prevent suspicious HSRP packets from reaching monitoring systems where possible. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious traffic sources. The fix implemented in the patched version demonstrates proper defensive programming practices by incorporating bounds checking and state validation mechanisms that prevent the infinite loop condition from occurring during packet processing operations.