CVE-2013-1582 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The dissect_clnp function in epan/dissectors/packet-clnp.c in the CLNP dissector in Wireshark 1.6.x before 1.6.13 and 1.8.x before 1.8.5 does not properly manage an offset variable, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop or application crash) via a malformed packet.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/22/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-1582 represents a critical flaw in the Wireshark network protocol analyzer software that affects versions prior to 1.6.13 and 1.8.5. This issue resides within the CLNP dissector component responsible for analyzing Connectionless Network Protocol packets, which are part of the OSI network layer protocols. The flaw manifests in the dissect_clnp function located in the epan/dissectors/packet-clnp.c file, where improper handling of an offset variable creates a dangerous condition that can be exploited by remote attackers to disrupt the normal operation of the network analysis tool.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from a failure in input validation and memory management within the dissector's offset handling mechanism. When processing malformed CLNP packets, the dissect_clnp function fails to properly validate or manage the offset variable that tracks packet parsing positions. This improper management creates a scenario where the parsing loop can become trapped in an infinite iteration pattern or cause the application to crash due to memory corruption. The vulnerability operates at the protocol analysis layer where Wireshark processes captured network traffic, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered simply by analyzing malicious network packets without requiring any special privileges or user interaction.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can effectively render the Wireshark application unusable for network analysis tasks. Attackers can craft specially designed malformed CLNP packets that when processed by the vulnerable Wireshark version will cause either an infinite loop that consumes system resources or a complete application crash that requires manual restart. This disruption can severely impact network troubleshooting, security analysis, and forensic investigations where Wireshark is the primary tool for packet analysis. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where network analysts rely on continuous monitoring and analysis capabilities, as any successful exploitation can result in significant operational downtime and loss of critical network visibility.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-1582 focus primarily on immediate software updates to patched versions of Wireshark. Users should upgrade to Wireshark 1.6.13 or 1.8.5, which contain the necessary fixes to properly manage the offset variable in the CLNP dissector. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious traffic that could trigger this vulnerability. The fix implemented in the patched versions involves proper validation of offset values and implementation of bounds checking to prevent the infinite loop condition. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which describes improper validation of array indices, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1566 for initial access through malicious network traffic. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect and prevent the transmission of malformed packets that could exploit this vulnerability, as the issue occurs during normal packet analysis operations and cannot be easily prevented through firewall rules alone.