CVE-2014-8710 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The decompress_sigcomp_message function in epan/sigcomp-udvm.c in the SigComp UDVM dissector in Wireshark 1.10.x before 1.10.11 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (buffer over-read and application crash) via a crafted packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/24/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-8710 resides within the SigComp UDVM dissector component of Wireshark, specifically in the decompress_sigcomp_message function located in epan/sigcomp-udvm.c. This flaw affects Wireshark versions 1.10.x prior to 1.10.11, representing a critical buffer over-read condition that can be exploited remotely to trigger a denial of service scenario. The SigComp protocol is used for compressing signaling messages in telecommunications, particularly in VoIP environments, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for network monitoring and analysis tools that process such traffic.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the decompress_sigcomp_message function which processes SigComp compressed messages during packet analysis. When Wireshark encounters a crafted packet containing malformed SigComp data, the function fails to properly bounds-check array accesses during decompression operations, leading to memory access violations. This buffer over-read condition occurs because the dissector does not adequately verify the size or structure of compressed message components before attempting to read from memory locations that may extend beyond allocated buffers. The flaw is categorized as a classic buffer overflow vulnerability that manifests as a read operation beyond the boundaries of allocated memory regions, resulting in undefined behavior and application instability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can be exploited by remote attackers to crash the Wireshark application entirely. When a maliciously crafted packet is processed by the affected dissector, the buffer over-read causes the application to access invalid memory locations, leading to segmentation faults or access violations that terminate the application process. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in network monitoring environments where Wireshark is used to analyze live traffic, as attackers could potentially disrupt network analysis operations or cause complete application failure during critical monitoring periods. The vulnerability affects the core dissector functionality, meaning any attempt to analyze SigComp-compressed traffic would trigger the exploit, making it a high-impact issue for network security professionals who rely on Wireshark for protocol analysis.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve upgrading to Wireshark version 1.10.11 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the buffer over-read condition in the SigComp UDVM dissector. Network administrators should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious traffic, while security teams should monitor for any exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and represents a typical example of how protocol dissector implementations can introduce security risks when proper input validation and bounds checking are not implemented. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1059.007 technique related to application execution through protocol analysis tools, and could potentially be leveraged as part of broader network reconnaissance or disruption campaigns targeting network monitoring infrastructure. Organizations should also implement regular patch management processes to ensure timely deployment of security updates and maintain visibility into their network traffic analysis tools to detect any anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts.