CVE-2015-8712 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The dissect_hsdsch_channel_info function in epan/dissectors/packet-umts_fp.c in the UMTS FP dissector in Wireshark 1.12.x before 1.12.9 does not validate the number of PDUs, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted packet.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-8712 resides within the UMTS FP dissector component of Wireshark, specifically in the dissect_hsdsch_channel_info function located at epan/dissectors/packet-umts_fp.c. This flaw represents a classic buffer over-read condition that occurs when processing UMTS high speed downlink shared channel information within packet captures. The issue manifests in Wireshark versions 1.12.x prior to 1.12.9, making it a significant concern for users who rely on these older versions for network protocol analysis and troubleshooting.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the packet dissection logic. When the dissect_hsdsch_channel_info function processes incoming packets containing UMTS high speed downlink shared channel information, it fails to properly validate the number of protocol data units specified in the packet header. This validation gap allows malicious actors to craft specially formatted packets that contain an excessive or malformed PDU count value. The dissector then attempts to iterate through the specified number of PDUs without bounds checking, leading to memory access violations that result in application instability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially compromise the entire network analysis workflow. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness by transmitting carefully crafted packets to a victim running an affected version of Wireshark. Upon processing these malicious packets, the application crashes and terminates unexpectedly, forcing users to restart their analysis sessions and potentially losing valuable debugging data. This disruption is particularly problematic in environments where continuous network monitoring is required, such as security operations centers or network troubleshooting scenarios where Wireshark serves as a critical diagnostic tool.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which describes improper validation of the length of input data, and represents a specific instance of insufficient bounds checking in network protocol parsing. From an adversarial perspective, this flaw maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for application execution through protocol analysis tools and T1499.004 for network disruption via application crashes. The vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly benign protocol parsing functions can become attack vectors when proper input validation mechanisms are absent, highlighting the critical importance of robust defensive programming practices in network security tools that process untrusted data from network traffic.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to Wireshark version 1.12.9 or later, which includes the necessary patches to validate PDU counts before processing. Network administrators should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure, while security teams should monitor for potential exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis. Additionally, users should regularly update their network analysis tools to ensure protection against known vulnerabilities, as this particular flaw represents a common pattern of insufficient input validation that continues to appear in various network protocol implementations across different software platforms.