CVE-2015-8722 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
epan/dissectors/packet-sctp.c in the SCTP dissector in Wireshark 1.12.x before 1.12.9 and 2.0.x before 2.0.1 does not validate the frame pointer, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and application crash) via a crafted packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-8722 represents a critical flaw in the Stream Control Transmission Protocol dissector functionality within Wireshark network analysis software. This issue affects versions 1.12.x prior to 1.12.9 and 2.0.x prior to 2.0.1, where the SCTP dissector fails to properly validate frame pointers during packet processing. The technical implementation flaw occurs within the packet-sctp.c file, which is responsible for dissecting SCTP protocol packets and extracting meaningful information from network traffic for analysis purposes.
The core technical vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that should have been implemented to verify frame pointer integrity before dereferencing. When a maliciously crafted SCTP packet is processed by the affected Wireshark versions, the dissector attempts to access memory locations through a null frame pointer, resulting in an immediate application crash. This NULL pointer dereference represents a classic denial of service condition that can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication or specialized privileges. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-476 which specifically addresses NULL pointer dereference conditions, making it particularly dangerous in network analysis environments where automated packet processing is expected.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for network security professionals who rely on Wireshark for network monitoring and incident response activities. Attackers can remotely trigger application crashes on systems running vulnerable Wireshark versions simply by transmitting specially crafted SCTP packets, potentially disrupting critical network analysis operations. The denial of service condition not only affects individual analyst workstations but can also compromise broader network monitoring infrastructure if multiple analysts are using affected versions. This vulnerability directly impacts the availability of network analysis tools and can be leveraged to disrupt security operations during critical incidents, making it particularly concerning for organizations that depend on continuous network visibility.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2015-8722 involves immediate upgrade to patched versions of Wireshark, specifically version 1.12.9 or 2.0.1 and later. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect and block suspicious SCTP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network administrators should consider deploying additional network analysis tools as redundancy measures and establish robust patch management processes to ensure timely deployment of security updates. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving denial of service and privilege escalation, though the specific technique of remote code execution through NULL pointer dereference is not directly applicable. The vulnerability also demonstrates the importance of input validation and defensive programming practices in network security tools, aligning with defensive techniques such as input validation and memory safety mechanisms that are recommended for protecting against similar classes of vulnerabilities in network protocol analysis software.