CVE-2014-2299 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the mpeg_read function in wiretap/mpeg.c in the MPEG parser in Wireshark 1.8.x before 1.8.13 and 1.10.x before 1.10.6 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (application crash) via a large record in MPEG data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2299 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the MPEG parser component of Wireshark, specifically affecting versions prior to 1.8.13 and 1.10.6. This vulnerability resides in the mpeg_read function located in wiretap/mpeg.c, which processes MPEG data streams during network traffic analysis. The flaw manifests when the parser encounters a malformed MPEG record containing an excessively large record size, creating a condition where the application fails to properly validate input boundaries before attempting to allocate memory for processing.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within the MPEG parsing logic, where the mpeg_read function does not sufficiently validate the size of incoming MPEG records before attempting to read or process them. When a remote attacker crafts a malicious MPEG stream with an oversized record, the function attempts to allocate memory based on the inflated size parameter without proper validation, resulting in a classic buffer overflow condition. This overflow occurs in the application's memory space, potentially allowing an attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the running Wireshark process.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it provides remote attackers with the capability to achieve arbitrary code execution on systems running vulnerable versions of Wireshark. This represents a significant security risk since Wireshark is commonly deployed in network monitoring and forensic analysis environments where it may run with elevated privileges. The vulnerability can be exploited through network traffic capture scenarios where an attacker controls or influences the network data being analyzed by Wireshark, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise network monitoring contexts where analysts frequently analyze captured traffic from untrusted sources.
The exploitability of this vulnerability aligns with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1059 technique for command and control execution, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to establish persistent access through the compromised Wireshark process. From a CWE perspective, this vulnerability maps to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-787, which addresses out-of-bounds write operations. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution flaw in a network analysis tool creates a particularly dangerous scenario where attackers can compromise network monitoring infrastructure, potentially gaining access to sensitive network traffic data and bypassing security controls.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-2299 require immediate patching of affected Wireshark installations to versions 1.8.13 or 1.10.6 and later, which contain the necessary input validation fixes. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of Wireshark instances to untrusted network traffic. Additional defensive measures include configuring Wireshark to process traffic through trusted sources only, implementing network intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious MPEG traffic patterns, and establishing regular software update policies for network analysis tools. Security teams should also consider implementing network traffic filtering rules that can detect and block known malicious MPEG data patterns that could trigger this vulnerability, while maintaining detailed logging of network analysis activities to enable forensic investigation if compromise occurs.