CVE-2014-6424 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The dissect_v9_v10_pdu_data function in epan/dissectors/packet-netflow.c in the Netflow dissector in Wireshark 1.10.x before 1.10.10 and 1.12.x before 1.12.1 refers to incorrect offset and start variables, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (uninitialized memory read and application crash) via a crafted packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/21/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6424 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Wireshark's Netflow dissector component. This issue affects versions 1.10.x prior to 1.10.10 and 1.12.x prior to 1.12.1, where the dissect_v9_v10_pdu_data function demonstrates improper handling of packet offset and start variables during Netflow protocol analysis. The flaw stems from incorrect pointer arithmetic and memory access patterns that result in uninitialized memory reads when processing malformed Netflow packets.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the packet-netflow.c file where the dissect_v9_v10_pdu_data function fails to properly validate packet structure offsets before attempting to read data from memory locations. When a remote attacker crafts a specially formatted Netflow packet containing malformed offset values, the dissector attempts to access memory regions that have not been properly initialized or validated. This incorrect memory access pattern leads to undefined behavior where the application reads from uninitialized memory locations, causing unpredictable results and ultimately resulting in application crashes.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant denial of service risk for network monitoring systems that rely on Wireshark for packet analysis. Network administrators and security professionals using affected versions of Wireshark face potential disruptions when analyzing network traffic, as the application becomes unstable when encountering crafted Netflow packets. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can trigger these crashes without requiring local access to the system, making it particularly dangerous in network monitoring environments where traffic analysis is performed on potentially malicious network data.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-457: Use of Uninitialized Variable, which specifically addresses scenarios where programs access variables that have not been properly initialized, leading to unpredictable behavior and potential system instability. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007: Command and Scripting Interpreter: Python, though more accurately represents T1499.004: Network Denial of Service, as it enables remote attackers to cause service disruption through application crashes. The flaw demonstrates a classic buffer over-read condition that can be exploited to cause memory corruption, making it a prime candidate for exploitation in network-based attack scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Wireshark installations to versions 1.10.10 or 1.12.1, which contain the necessary fixes for proper offset validation and memory access handling. Network administrators should also implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect and isolate potentially malicious Netflow traffic. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network access controls that limit exposure to untrusted network traffic, particularly in environments where Wireshark is used for real-time packet analysis. The patch addresses the root cause by ensuring proper validation of packet structure offsets before memory access operations, preventing the uninitialized memory reads that lead to application crashes.