CVE-2014-2282 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The dissect_protocol_data_parameter function in epan/dissectors/packet-m3ua.c in the M3UA dissector in Wireshark 1.10.x before 1.10.6 does not properly allocate memory, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted SS7 MTP3 packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2282 resides within the M3UA dissector component of Wireshark, specifically in the dissect_protocol_data_parameter function located in epan/dissectors/packet-m3ua.c. This flaw affects Wireshark versions 1.10.x prior to 1.10.6 and represents a classic memory allocation issue that can be exploited to trigger application instability. The M3UA protocol dissector is responsible for analyzing Signaling System No. 7 (SS7) messages, particularly those operating at the MTP3 user adaptation layer, which forms a critical component of telecommunications network monitoring and analysis.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory allocation handling within the dissect_protocol_data_parameter function. When processing crafted SS7 MTP3 packets, the function fails to adequately validate or allocate memory resources before processing the protocol data parameter. This memory management flaw creates a condition where remote attackers can construct specially formatted packets that, when processed by Wireshark, cause the application to crash due to memory corruption or access violations. The vulnerability operates at the protocol decoding level, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered simply by opening or analyzing a malicious packet capture file without any user interaction required.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application instability to represent a significant denial of service threat for network monitoring operations. Security professionals and network administrators who rely on Wireshark for network analysis and troubleshooting face potential disruption when encountering malicious SS7 traffic. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can trigger crashes from outside the local network, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations that monitor public or untrusted network traffic. This flaw undermines the reliability of Wireshark as a network analysis tool and can potentially be used to disrupt network monitoring operations, making it difficult for administrators to diagnose network issues or investigate security incidents.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-2282 focus primarily on immediate version updates to Wireshark 1.10.6 or later, which contain the necessary memory allocation fixes. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and traffic filtering to prevent potentially malicious SS7 traffic from reaching systems running Wireshark. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-122, which describes improper restriction of operations within a memory buffer, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059 for execution through network protocols. Network administrators should also consider implementing additional monitoring for abnormal application behavior and ensure that all network analysis tools are kept current with security patches to prevent exploitation of similar memory management vulnerabilities in other dissector components.