CVE-2015-8739 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
The ipmi_fmt_udpport function in epan/dissectors/packet-ipmi.c in the IPMI dissector in Wireshark 2.0.x before 2.0.1 improperly attempts to access a packet scope, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (assertion failure and application exit) via a crafted packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-8739 represents a critical denial of service flaw within Wireshark's IPMI protocol dissector. This issue affects Wireshark versions 2.0.x prior to 2.0.1, where the ipmi_fmt_udpport function exhibits improper memory access behavior that can be exploited by remote attackers to crash the application. The vulnerability specifically targets the packet scope handling mechanism within the IPMI dissector component, which is responsible for parsing and analyzing IPMI protocol traffic in network captures.
The technical flaw manifests when the ipmi_fmt_udpport function attempts to access a packet scope that has not been properly initialized or validated. This improper access pattern triggers an assertion failure within the application's memory management system, leading to an application crash and subsequent exit. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered through crafted IPMI packets transmitted over UDP, making it exploitable in network traffic analysis scenarios where Wireshark processes captured packets from remote sources. The assertion failure occurs during the packet dissection process when the dissector attempts to format UDP port information for display, but encounters an invalid or uninitialized memory reference.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for network security analysts and administrators who rely on Wireshark for protocol analysis and troubleshooting. An attacker could craft malicious IPMI packets and transmit them to a system running an affected version of Wireshark, causing the application to crash and potentially interrupting critical network monitoring operations. The denial of service impact extends beyond simple application interruption, as it can disrupt ongoing network analysis sessions and may require system restarts to restore normal functionality. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where Wireshark is used in automated monitoring systems or where analysts process untrusted network traffic from external sources.
The vulnerability maps to CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions in software implementations, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks. Organizations utilizing Wireshark for network protocol analysis should prioritize immediate patching to version 2.0.1 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to properly validate packet scope access before attempting memory operations. Network administrators should also consider implementing additional monitoring and alerting mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts, while security teams should ensure that all network analysis tools are kept current with security patches to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in operational environments.