CVE-2013-4926 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
epan/dissectors/packet-dcom-sysact.c in the DCOM ISystemActivator dissector in Wireshark 1.10.x before 1.10.1 does not properly determine whether there is remaining packet data to process, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted packet.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4926 resides within the DCOM ISystemActivator dissector component of Wireshark version 1.10.x prior to 1.10.1. This flaw manifests in the packet-dcom-sysact.c file where the dissector fails to accurately assess whether additional packet data remains to be processed during network traffic analysis. The issue specifically affects the protocol dissection functionality that handles Distributed Component Object Model system activation communications, which are fundamental to Windows network operations and component interaction across distributed systems.
The technical implementation flaw stems from improper boundary checking within the dissector logic, where the application does not correctly validate the amount of remaining data in the packet buffer before attempting to parse subsequent fields. This inadequate validation creates a condition where malformed or crafted packets can trigger unexpected behavior in the dissection engine. When Wireshark encounters such malformed packets, the dissector's failure to properly handle the data boundaries results in memory access violations or buffer overruns that ultimately lead to application instability and potential crashes.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant denial of service risk to network monitoring and forensic analysis environments that rely on Wireshark for traffic inspection. Attackers can craft specifically designed packets that exploit this boundary checking flaw to remotely crash Wireshark applications running on targeted systems. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as it can compromise the integrity of network analysis operations, potentially preventing security professionals from accurately monitoring network traffic during critical incidents or security investigations. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where Wireshark is deployed for continuous network monitoring, packet capture analysis, or security auditing purposes.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of buffer access boundaries, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1494, which involves application or system spoofing through manipulation of application protocols. Organizations using Wireshark for network security operations should prioritize immediate patching of affected versions to prevent exploitation. Mitigation strategies include implementing network segmentation to limit exposure to potentially malicious traffic, deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify and block suspicious packet patterns, and maintaining up-to-date network monitoring tools. The recommended solution involves upgrading to Wireshark version 1.10.1 or later, which includes corrected boundary validation logic in the DCOM ISystemActivator dissector to properly handle packet data processing and prevent the application crash conditions that previously occurred.