CVE-2015-8714 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The dissect_dcom_OBJREF function in epan/dissectors/packet-dcom.c in the DCOM dissector in Wireshark 1.12.x before 1.12.9 does not initialize a certain IPv4 data structure, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-8714 represents a critical denial of service flaw within Wireshark's DCOM dissector component. This issue specifically affects Wireshark versions 1.12.x prior to 1.12.9, where the dissect_dcom_OBJREF function fails to properly initialize a critical IPv4 data structure during packet processing. The flaw resides in the epan/dissectors/packet-dcom.c file, which is responsible for parsing Distributed Component Object Model traffic within the network monitoring tool. When a remote attacker crafts a malicious packet containing malformed DCOM data, the uninitialized data structure triggers unpredictable behavior in the application's memory management system.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory initialization practices within the dissector's packet parsing logic. When Wireshark encounters a DCOM packet that triggers the dissect_dcom_OBJREF function, it attempts to process the object reference structure without ensuring that all necessary IPv4 data fields are properly initialized. This initialization failure creates a condition where the application may attempt to access uninitialized memory locations or interpret corrupted data, leading to application instability. The vulnerability operates at the protocol dissector level, meaning it affects how Wireshark interprets and displays network traffic rather than the core packet capture functionality.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to network monitoring environments that rely on Wireshark for traffic analysis. Remote attackers can exploit this flaw by simply sending a specially crafted DCOM packet to a victim system running an affected version of Wireshark. The impact manifests as an application crash, effectively causing a denial of service that interrupts network analysis operations. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where network analysts depend on continuous monitoring capabilities, as it can be leveraged to disrupt critical network visibility operations. The exploit requires minimal technical expertise and can be automated, making it a attractive target for malicious actors seeking to disrupt network operations.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-457, which describes "Use of Uninitialized Variable," and demonstrates how improper initialization can lead to system instability. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique related to network disruption, as it enables an attacker to cause denial of service through application crashes. The flaw also intersects with T1595.001, representing reconnaissance activities where attackers might identify vulnerable systems before attempting exploitation. Organizations using affected Wireshark versions should prioritize immediate patching to address this vulnerability, as the remediation involves updating to Wireshark 1.12.9 or later versions where the uninitialized data structure issue has been resolved through proper initialization of IPv4 fields in the dissect_dcom_OBJREF function. Security teams should also implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and consider temporary network segmentation to limit the attack surface while applying patches.