CVE-2016-2526 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
epan/dissectors/packet-hiqnet.c in the HiQnet dissector in Wireshark 2.0.x before 2.0.2 does not validate the data type, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read and application crash) via a crafted packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-2526 resides within the HiQnet dissector component of Wireshark version 2.0.x prior to 2.0.2, representing a critical security flaw that compromises the stability and reliability of network protocol analysis tools. This issue specifically affects the epan/dissectors/packet-hiqnet.c file where the dissector responsible for interpreting HiQnet protocol traffic fails to properly validate data types during packet processing. The absence of proper validation mechanisms creates a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the application's handling of malformed network packets, potentially leading to catastrophic system failures.
The technical flaw manifests as an out-of-bounds read condition that occurs when the HiQnet dissector attempts to process crafted packet data without adequate type checking or bounds validation. When Wireshark encounters a specially crafted packet containing malformed HiQnet protocol data, the dissector's parsing logic fails to verify the expected data structure before attempting to access memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-129 category of Improper Validation of Array Index, specifically addressing insufficient validation of data types within protocol dissectors. The flaw operates at the application layer where protocol analysis tools process network traffic, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through standard network packet transmission without requiring special privileges or direct system access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can lead to complete application crashes that disrupt network monitoring and analysis operations. Network administrators and security professionals who rely on Wireshark for traffic inspection and troubleshooting face significant risks when running affected versions, as a single malicious packet can bring down their analysis tools and potentially interrupt critical network monitoring activities. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can trigger the denial of service condition from anywhere on the network without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where network analysis tools are widely deployed. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001 which covers Network Denial of Service, and represents a classic example of how protocol parsing flaws can create remote code execution or system stability issues in network security tools.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-2526 primarily focus on immediate version updates to Wireshark 2.0.2 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the data type validation issues within the HiQnet dissector. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all instances of Wireshark across their network infrastructure are updated promptly. Additionally, network administrators can employ defensive measures such as implementing packet filtering rules that prevent suspicious HiQnet traffic from reaching vulnerable systems, though this approach provides only partial protection as the vulnerability exists within the application's core protocol processing logic. The fix implemented in the patched versions typically involves adding proper bounds checking and data type validation within the dissector code, ensuring that all packet data is verified before any memory access operations are performed, thereby preventing the out-of-bounds read conditions that lead to application crashes.