CVE-2015-4652 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
epan/dissectors/packet-gsm_a_dtap.c in the GSM DTAP dissector in Wireshark 1.12.x before 1.12.6 does not properly validate digit characters, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted packet, related to the de_emerg_num_list and de_bcd_num functions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/03/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-4652 resides within the GSM DTAP dissector component of Wireshark, specifically in the packet-gsm_a_dtap.c file. This flaw affects Wireshark versions 1.12.x prior to 1.12.6 and represents a critical denial of service vulnerability that can be exploited remotely. The issue manifests when the dissector processes GSM DTAP (GSM Data Transport Application Part) packets, which are used to analyze signaling messages in GSM networks. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the de_emerg_num_list and de_bcd_num functions that handle digit character processing during packet analysis.
The technical flaw involves improper validation of digit characters within the GSM DTAP protocol parsing logic. When Wireshark encounters a specially crafted packet containing malformed digit sequences, the de_emerg_num_list and de_bcd_num functions fail to properly sanitize or validate the input data. This lack of proper validation leads to memory corruption or buffer overflow conditions that cause the application to crash. The vulnerability specifically targets the handling of emergency number lists and BCD (Binary Coded Decimal) number formats commonly used in GSM signaling protocols for identifying emergency services and subscriber numbers. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious packets that contain unexpected digit character sequences that bypass normal validation checks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application instability, as it can be leveraged for remote denial of service attacks against Wireshark users. Network administrators, security analysts, and forensic investigators who rely on Wireshark for network traffic analysis become vulnerable to attacks that can disrupt their monitoring capabilities. The attack requires only the ability to transmit specially crafted packets to the network where Wireshark is running, making it particularly dangerous in environments where analysts are actively capturing traffic. The vulnerability affects any system running affected Wireshark versions, regardless of whether they are analyzing GSM traffic specifically or simply have the dissector enabled, as the flaw exists in the core packet processing logic.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-4652 primarily involve upgrading to Wireshark version 1.12.6 or later, which includes patches that properly validate digit characters in the affected functions. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of Wireshark instances to untrusted networks. Additionally, security teams should consider disabling unnecessary dissectors when analyzing traffic to reduce attack surface. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which addresses buffer overflow conditions, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network disruption attacks. Regular patch management processes should include verification of dissector updates, as this type of vulnerability often affects protocol-specific analysis components that may not receive immediate attention in general security updates.