CVE-2014-5165 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The dissect_ber_constrained_bitstring function in epan/dissectors/packet-ber.c in the ASN.1 BER dissector in Wireshark 1.10.x before 1.10.9 does not properly validate padding values, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (buffer underflow and application crash) via a crafted packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/10/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5165 resides within the ASN.1 Basic Encoding Rules (BER) dissector component of Wireshark, specifically in the dissect_ber_constrained_bitstring function located at epan/dissectors/packet-ber.c. This flaw affects Wireshark versions 1.10.x prior to 1.10.9, representing a critical buffer underflow condition that can be exploited remotely. The issue manifests when the dissector processes crafted ASN.1 BER encoded packets containing constrained bitstrings, where the padding validation mechanism fails to properly verify the integrity of the bitstring padding values. This technical oversight creates a scenario where an attacker can construct malicious packets that, when processed by Wireshark during network traffic analysis, trigger unexpected behavior in the application's memory management.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application instability, as it enables remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks against systems running vulnerable versions of Wireshark. When a malicious packet is processed, the buffer underflow condition causes the application to crash, effectively rendering the network analysis tool unusable for the duration of the attack. This represents a significant threat to network security operations, as security analysts and network administrators rely heavily on Wireshark for troubleshooting and monitoring network traffic. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can trigger the condition without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network monitoring tools are deployed. The flaw falls under CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, though in this case it manifests as a buffer underflow due to improper padding validation.
From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1059.007 technique related to command and control communications, as the compromised analysis tool could potentially be used to disrupt network monitoring capabilities. The vulnerability also aligns with T1498, which covers network denial of service attacks, as the crash condition directly impacts the availability of network analysis services. Organizations utilizing Wireshark for network security monitoring face a substantial risk when operating vulnerable versions, as the tool's crash could occur during critical network incident response activities, potentially masking malicious network activity or preventing proper forensic analysis. The exploitability of this vulnerability is further enhanced by the fact that Wireshark is commonly used in security operations centers where continuous network monitoring is essential for threat detection and response.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-5165 primarily involve immediate patching of affected Wireshark installations to version 1.10.9 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to properly validate padding values in constrained bitstring processing. Network administrators should also implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability's impact is most pronounced when processing untrusted network traffic. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious traffic that could trigger the vulnerability. Regular security updates and patch management procedures should be enforced across all network analysis tools to prevent similar vulnerabilities from compromising operational security capabilities. The fix implemented in the patched versions addresses the core validation issue by ensuring proper bounds checking of padding values, thereby preventing the buffer underflow condition that led to the application crash.