CVE-2015-8734 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The dissect_nwp function in epan/dissectors/packet-nwp.c in the NWP dissector in Wireshark 2.0.x before 2.0.1 mishandles the packet type, 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-2015-8734 resides within the Network Working Group Protocol (NWP) dissector of Wireshark version 2.0.x prior to 2.0.1. This issue manifests in the dissect_nwp function located in epan/dissectors/packet-nwp.c, where improper handling of packet types creates a condition that can be exploited by remote attackers to trigger application instability. The NWP dissector is responsible for analyzing and interpreting network traffic that follows the NWP protocol, which is used for communication between network devices and systems. When Wireshark encounters a malformed NWP packet, the dissect_nwp function fails to properly validate the packet type field, leading to a potential buffer overflow or invalid memory access condition.
The technical flaw in this vulnerability stems from a lack of proper input validation within the dissector's packet type handling mechanism. Specifically, the dissect_nwp function does not adequately check the validity of packet type values before attempting to process them, which can result in the application attempting to access memory locations that are either invalid or unauthorized. This improper handling creates a scenario where an attacker can craft a specially designed packet with malicious packet type values that, when processed by Wireshark, causes the application to crash or terminate unexpectedly. The vulnerability operates at the protocol analysis layer of Wireshark, where it processes captured network traffic to provide detailed packet information to network analysts and security professionals.
The operational impact of this denial of service vulnerability is significant for organizations that rely on Wireshark for network monitoring, troubleshooting, and security analysis. When exploited, the vulnerability allows remote attackers to cause Wireshark to crash, effectively disrupting network analysis operations and potentially preventing security teams from investigating network incidents. This can lead to complete loss of network traffic analysis capabilities during critical security events, forcing analysts to restart the application and potentially lose valuable forensic data. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered remotely through network traffic capture, meaning that simply opening a maliciously crafted capture file or monitoring a network segment containing such packets can cause the application to become unavailable.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-8734 primarily involve upgrading to Wireshark version 2.0.1 or later, which contains the necessary patches to properly validate packet types within the NWP dissector. Network administrators should also implement proper network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious traffic. Additionally, organizations should maintain regular patch management processes to ensure all network analysis tools remain up to date with the latest security fixes. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of improper input validation that can lead to application instability. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) and T1499 (Endpoint Termination) as it can be used to disrupt network monitoring capabilities and terminate legitimate network analysis operations. Organizations should also consider implementing network traffic monitoring solutions that can detect and block suspicious packet patterns before they reach Wireshark, providing an additional layer of defense against such exploits.