CVE-2013-1580 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The dissect_cmstatus_tlv function in plugins/docsis/packet-cmstatus.c in the DOCSIS CM-STATUS dissector in Wireshark 1.6.x before 1.6.13 and 1.8.x before 1.8.5 uses an incorrect data type for a position variable, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop) via a malformed packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/22/2021
The CVE-2013-1580 vulnerability resides within the DOCSIS CM-STATUS dissector component of Wireshark, specifically in the dissect_cmstatus_tlv function located in plugins/docsis/packet-cmstatus.c. This flaw affects Wireshark versions 1.6.x prior to 1.6.13 and 1.8.x prior to 1.8.5, representing a critical denial of service vulnerability that can be exploited remotely. The vulnerability stems from an incorrect data type assignment for a position variable within the packet parsing logic, which fundamentally alters how the dissector processes DOCSIS CM-STATUS packets. This incorrect type handling creates a scenario where the dissector fails to properly advance its parsing position during packet analysis, leading to a condition where the parsing loop continues indefinitely without making progress through the packet data structure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a type confusion issue where an unsigned integer variable intended to track the current position within the packet payload is incorrectly declared or used in a manner that prevents proper loop termination. When Wireshark encounters a malformed DOCSIS CM-STATUS packet, the dissect_cmstatus_tlv function attempts to parse the TLV (Type-Length-Value) structure but becomes trapped in an infinite loop due to the position variable not being properly incremented or updated. This condition causes the dissector to consume excessive CPU resources and prevents further packet processing, effectively creating a denial of service scenario that impacts the entire Wireshark analysis process. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in network monitoring environments where Wireshark is used to analyze traffic streams, as a single malicious packet can cause the entire analysis session to become unresponsive.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-1580 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it represents a remote code execution vector that can be leveraged by attackers to perform denial of service attacks against network monitoring systems. Network administrators and security professionals who rely on Wireshark for traffic analysis, incident response, and network troubleshooting face significant operational risks when this vulnerability exists in their monitoring infrastructure. The infinite loop condition can cause Wireshark to become unresponsive for extended periods, potentially leading to missed network events, loss of critical monitoring data, and complete disruption of network analysis capabilities. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where automated network monitoring systems process large volumes of traffic, as the impact scales with the amount of network data being analyzed. The vulnerability can be exploited through any network traffic containing a malformed DOCSIS CM-STATUS packet, making it accessible to remote attackers without requiring special privileges or local access to the system running Wireshark.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-1580 primarily involve upgrading to patched versions of Wireshark where the type handling issue has been corrected. The official patches released with Wireshark 1.6.13 and 1.8.5 address the root cause by ensuring proper data type handling for the position variable in the dissect_cmstatus_tlv function. Network administrators should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious traffic, while deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify and block malformed packets before they reach Wireshark analysis components. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing packet filtering rules that can drop DOCSIS traffic if it is not required for their network operations, reducing the attack surface for this specific vulnerability. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which describes improper validation of array indices, and represents a classic example of how type confusion in parsing logic can lead to denial of service conditions. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1499.004, which covers network disruption, and demonstrates how protocol parsing flaws can be leveraged for service availability attacks. Organizations should also implement regular security updates and patch management processes to ensure timely remediation of similar vulnerabilities across their network monitoring infrastructure.