CVE-2013-2484 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The CIMD dissector in Wireshark 1.6.x before 1.6.14 and 1.8.x before 1.8.6 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a malformed packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2484 represents a critical denial of service flaw within Wireshark's CIMD dissector component. This issue affects Wireshark versions 1.6.x prior to 1.6.14 and 1.8.x prior to 1.8.6, where the application fails to properly handle malformed CIMD protocol packets. The CIMD protocol, or Common Interface for Mobile Data, is used for communication between mobile devices and network infrastructure, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for network monitoring and security analysis environments. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and error handling within the dissector module responsible for parsing CIMD traffic, creating a condition where malformed packets can trigger unexpected application behavior.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses insufficient input validation, and CWE-248, covering uncaught exceptions in software applications. When a remote attacker sends a specially crafted malformed packet to a Wireshark instance configured to capture and analyze CIMD traffic, the dissector fails to properly sanitize the input data. This leads to an application crash or complete denial of service, effectively rendering the network monitoring capability useless. The vulnerability operates at the protocol parsing layer, where the dissector attempts to process malformed data structures without proper bounds checking or exception handling mechanisms. The attack vector requires only that an attacker can send packets to a system running Wireshark with the affected dissector enabled, making it particularly dangerous in network monitoring scenarios where continuous traffic capture is essential.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-2484 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can compromise the integrity of network monitoring operations and security analysis activities. Organizations relying on Wireshark for network troubleshooting, security incident response, and protocol analysis face significant risk when exposed to this vulnerability, as a single malicious packet can bring down critical monitoring infrastructure. This vulnerability particularly affects security operations centers, network administrators, and forensic analysts who depend on continuous packet capture capabilities. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit this weakness without requiring physical access or elevated privileges, making it a high-severity concern for network security professionals. The vulnerability can be exploited in various attack scenarios including passive network monitoring, active network reconnaissance, and even as part of larger attack campaigns targeting network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-2484 primarily focus on immediate software updates and system hardening measures. The most effective solution involves upgrading to Wireshark versions 1.6.14 or 1.8.6, which contain patched dissector implementations that properly handle malformed CIMD packets. Network administrators should also implement additional protective measures such as configuring firewalls to filter suspicious traffic patterns, disabling unnecessary protocol dissectors when not actively needed, and implementing network segmentation to limit exposure. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1499, which covers network denial of service attacks, and T1566, covering credential access through network attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for anomalous packet patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include verification of Wireshark installations to ensure proper patch levels are maintained across all network monitoring systems.