CVE-2013-2478 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The dissect_server_info function in epan/dissectors/packet-ms-mms.c in the MS-MMS dissector in Wireshark 1.6.x before 1.6.14 and 1.8.x before 1.8.6 does not properly manage string lengths, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a malformed packet that (1) triggers an integer overflow or (2) has embedded \0 characters in a string.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2013-2478 resides within the MS-MMS dissector component of Wireshark, specifically in the dissect_server_info function located at epan/dissectors/packet-ms-mms.c. This flaw affects versions 1.6.x prior to 1.6.14 and 1.8.x prior to 1.8.6, representing a critical denial of service vulnerability that can be exploited remotely by attackers. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of string lengths within the dissector functionality, which is responsible for parsing Microsoft Media Server Message Protocol packets during network traffic analysis.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves two distinct attack vectors that can trigger application instability. The first vector involves an integer overflow condition that occurs when processing malformed packet data, while the second vector exploits embedded null characters within strings that are not properly validated or sanitized. These conditions arise from inadequate bounds checking and string length management within the dissector's parsing logic, where the function fails to validate input parameters before processing them. The lack of proper input validation allows attackers to craft malicious packets that contain oversized strings or embedded null terminators, which when processed by the dissect_server_info function, cause the application to crash or become unresponsive.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to network monitoring and security analysis environments that rely on Wireshark for packet inspection. Since Wireshark is commonly deployed in security operations centers, network forensic analysis, and penetration testing scenarios, an attacker who can successfully exploit this vulnerability can cause legitimate network analysis tools to become unavailable, potentially disrupting security operations and creating blind spots in network monitoring. The remote nature of the attack means that an adversary does not need physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network traffic analysis is performed on potentially hostile networks. The vulnerability can be exploited through simple packet crafting techniques, making it accessible to attackers with basic network protocol knowledge.
The underlying cause of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of array index values, and CWE-120, which covers buffer overflow conditions. Additionally, this issue maps to ATT&CK technique T1070.004, which involves the use of application or system binaries to execute malicious code, as the vulnerability specifically targets the application's dissector functionality. The vulnerability also relates to T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks, since the primary impact is a complete application crash rather than data compromise. Organizations using affected Wireshark versions should prioritize immediate patching to address this vulnerability, as the remediation involves updating to versions 1.6.14 or 1.8.6 respectively. The patch implementation typically includes enhanced input validation, proper string length checking, and integer overflow protection mechanisms within the dissector functions to prevent malformed packet data from causing application instability.