CVE-2014-6427 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
Off-by-one error in the is_rtsp_request_or_reply function in epan/dissectors/packet-rtsp.c in the RTSP dissector in Wireshark 1.10.x before 1.10.10 and 1.12.x before 1.12.1 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted packet that triggers parsing of a token located one position beyond the current position.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/21/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6427 represents a critical off-by-one error within the Real Time Streaming Protocol dissector of Wireshark, specifically in the is_rtsp_request_or_reply function located at epan/dissectors/packet-rtsp.c. This flaw affects Wireshark versions 1.10.x prior to 1.10.10 and 1.12.x prior to 1.12.1, creating a scenario where remote attackers can manipulate the application's parsing behavior through carefully crafted network packets. The vulnerability stems from improper boundary checking during protocol analysis, where the dissector attempts to access memory at an offset that exceeds the valid buffer boundaries, leading to unpredictable application states.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the RTSP dissector processes network traffic containing malformed RTSP packets. During the parsing of RTSP headers and message structures, the is_rtsp_request_or_reply function fails to properly validate array indices before accessing token positions within the packet data. This off-by-one error specifically targets the boundary condition where the parser attempts to read a token that exists one position beyond the current valid data range, effectively causing a buffer overread condition. The flaw operates at the protocol dissector level, meaning that when Wireshark encounters RTSP traffic during packet capture analysis, the application crashes upon attempting to parse the malformed data structure.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant denial of service threat to network monitoring and security analysis environments that rely on Wireshark for packet inspection. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious RTSP packets that, when processed by the affected Wireshark versions, cause the application to crash and terminate unexpectedly. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as it affects the reliability of network troubleshooting and security auditing activities, potentially compromising network visibility during critical incidents. This vulnerability particularly impacts enterprise environments where network administrators depend on stable packet analysis tools for monitoring network traffic and identifying potential security threats.
The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of array index bounds, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1497.001 related to virtualization and container abuse. Network security professionals should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader threat landscape assessment, particularly in environments where RTSP traffic is commonly monitored, such as media streaming networks, video surveillance systems, and network infrastructure monitoring setups. The remediation approach requires immediate patching of affected Wireshark installations to version 1.10.10 or 1.12.1, which contain the necessary boundary checking fixes that prevent the off-by-one error from occurring during RTSP packet processing. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect and prevent exploitation attempts while maintaining awareness of similar vulnerabilities in other protocol dissectors that may present analogous boundary condition flaws.
This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of robust input validation in network protocol analysis tools, where improper boundary checking can lead to application instability and service disruption. The flaw underscores the necessity of thorough code review processes and comprehensive testing of protocol dissector implementations to prevent similar issues from affecting network security infrastructure components. Security teams should maintain updated knowledge of patched versions and apply updates promptly to prevent exploitation of such vulnerabilities in production environments.