CVE-2013-4925 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
Integer signedness error in epan/dissectors/packet-dcom-sysact.c in the DCOM ISystemActivator dissector in Wireshark 1.10.x before 1.10.1 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (assertion failure and daemon exit) via a crafted packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4925 represents a critical integer signedness error within the DCOM ISystemActivator dissector component of Wireshark version 1.10.x prior to 1.10.1. This flaw exists in the epan/dissectors/packet-dcom-sysact.c file where the software fails to properly handle signed integer values during packet processing. The issue manifests when Wireshark encounters a specially crafted DCOM packet that contains malformed integer fields, specifically those related to system activation operations. This particular dissector is responsible for parsing and analyzing Distributed Component Object Model traffic, which is commonly used in Windows networking environments for remote procedure calls and component activation across network boundaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from a fundamental flaw in how the dissector handles integer values during packet parsing operations. When processing DCOM system activator packets, the code performs operations that assume unsigned integer behavior while the actual data contains signed integer values. This mismatch causes the software to incorrectly interpret packet data, leading to an assertion failure that terminates the Wireshark daemon process. The signedness error occurs during the parsing of specific field values within the DCOM protocol structure where the dissector attempts to perform mathematical operations or comparisons using integer values that have different signedness characteristics than expected. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-191, which specifically addresses integer underflow and overflow conditions, and more broadly relates to CWE-190, dealing with integer overflow and underflow. The vulnerability operates at the application layer of the network stack, specifically targeting the protocol analysis capabilities of network monitoring tools.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-4925 presents significant risks for network security operations and monitoring environments that rely on Wireshark for traffic analysis. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability remotely by crafting malicious DCOM packets that, when processed by an affected Wireshark instance, trigger the assertion failure and subsequent daemon termination. This results in a denial of service condition that effectively disables network monitoring capabilities for the duration of the service outage. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where network administrators depend on continuous traffic analysis for security monitoring, incident response, and network troubleshooting. The daemon crash can occur even when Wireshark is running in passive monitoring mode, meaning that simply capturing or analyzing network traffic can trigger the vulnerability. This makes the attack vector particularly stealthy and difficult to detect, as it can be triggered by legitimate network traffic without requiring active exploitation or prior authentication. The disruption to network monitoring capabilities can have cascading effects on security operations, potentially masking actual security incidents or preventing timely detection of network anomalies.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-4925 focus on immediate software updates and operational security measures to protect against exploitation. The primary and most effective mitigation involves upgrading to Wireshark version 1.10.1 or later, which contains the patched dissector code that properly handles integer signedness during DCOM packet processing. Network administrators should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of systems running Wireshark to potentially malicious traffic sources. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and type checking in network protocol analysis tools, as highlighted by ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol analysis. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect and alert on unusual daemon behavior or service interruptions, as well as maintaining backup monitoring capabilities to ensure continuous network visibility. Additionally, security teams should conduct regular vulnerability assessments of network monitoring tools and maintain updated threat intelligence to identify and respond to similar vulnerabilities in other protocol dissectors or network analysis applications.