CVE-2015-7830 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The pcapng_read_if_descr_block function in wiretap/pcapng.c in the pcapng parser in Wireshark 1.12.x before 1.12.8 uses too many levels of pointer indirection, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (incorrect free and application crash) via a crafted packet that triggers interface-filter copying.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/25/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-7830 represents a critical memory management flaw within Wireshark's packet capture file parsing capabilities. This issue specifically affects the pcapng_read_if_descr_block function located in wiretap/pcapng.c, which processes interface description blocks within pcapng format files. The flaw manifests when Wireshark attempts to parse maliciously crafted packets that contain malformed interface-filter data, leading to improper memory handling during the parsing process. The vulnerability operates through excessive pointer indirection that creates a scenario where the application attempts to free memory that has already been freed or access invalid memory locations, ultimately resulting in application instability and potential crashes.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of incorrect memory management that can be categorized under CWE-459, which describes "Incomplete Cleanup" in software systems. The flaw arises from the pcapng parser's inability to properly validate and handle the complex pointer structures required for interface-filter copying operations. When a remote attacker crafts a specially formatted packet containing malformed interface-filter data, the parser's pointer handling logic becomes overwhelmed by the excessive levels of indirection required to process the data. This condition leads to a double-free scenario where the same memory location is attempted to be freed twice, or alternatively, the application attempts to free memory that has already been deallocated, causing the application to crash and potentially allowing for denial of service conditions.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to network security analysts and forensic investigators who rely on Wireshark for packet analysis. The remote attack vector means that an adversary could potentially compromise a victim's system simply by enticing them to open a maliciously crafted pcapng file, without requiring any active network connection or additional privileges. The vulnerability affects Wireshark versions 1.12.x prior to 1.12.8, making it particularly concerning for organizations that may not have immediately updated their network analysis tools. The denial of service impact extends beyond simple application crashes, as the instability can potentially lead to data corruption or loss during critical network investigations, especially in forensic environments where packet capture integrity is paramount. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which covers "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell," as the crash conditions could potentially be exploited in conjunction with other attack vectors to create more complex compromise scenarios.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2015-7830 centers on immediate version updates to Wireshark 1.12.8 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the excessive pointer indirection issue. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious packet captures, particularly in environments where untrusted users may upload or share packet capture files. Security teams should consider implementing automated patch management systems to ensure all network analysis tools remain up-to-date with the latest security fixes. Additionally, network administrators should establish procedures for validating packet capture files before analysis, particularly those received from external sources or generated by unknown systems. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of proper memory management in security-critical applications and demonstrates the potential for seemingly minor parsing flaws to create significant operational impacts in network security tools. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect and alert on unusual network behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts, as the denial of service nature of this vulnerability could be used as part of broader attack campaigns.