CVE-2016-4419 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
epan/dissectors/packet-spice.c in the SPICE dissector in Wireshark 2.x before 2.0.2 mishandles capability data, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (large loop) via a crafted packet.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/27/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-4419 affects the SPICE dissector within Wireshark version 2.x prior to 2.0.2, representing a critical denial of service weakness that stems from improper handling of capability data structures. This flaw resides in the packet-spice.c file which processes SPICE protocol packets during network traffic analysis, making it a significant concern for network security analysts who rely on Wireshark for protocol inspection and troubleshooting.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a malformed capability data structure that triggers an infinite loop within the dissector logic. When Wireshark encounters a specially crafted SPICE packet containing malformed capability data, the dissector enters a large loop that consumes excessive CPU resources and prevents normal packet processing. This behavior occurs because the dissector fails to properly validate or sanitize the capability data length fields before entering iterative processing routines that depend on these values. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation practices and inadequate boundary checking mechanisms that are fundamental to secure software development.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to network monitoring and security operations centers that utilize Wireshark for traffic analysis. An attacker capable of sending malicious SPICE packets to a network where Wireshark is actively capturing traffic can trigger a denial of service condition that effectively renders the network monitoring system unusable. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as it can compromise network visibility and incident response capabilities, particularly in environments where continuous monitoring is critical for threat detection and security operations.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-835, which addresses the issue of infinite loops in software implementations, and represents a classic example of improper input validation that can lead to resource exhaustion. From an attack framework perspective, this weakness maps to the denial of service category within the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically under the technique of resource exhaustion where attackers consume system resources to prevent legitimate use. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill and can be automated, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network traffic analysis tools are deployed without proper security hardening.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to Wireshark version 2.0.2 or later, which includes patches that properly validate capability data structures and implement appropriate loop bounds checking. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious traffic, while monitoring for anomalous packet patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, deploying network intrusion detection systems with signature-based detection for known SPICE protocol anomalies can provide additional layers of defense against this specific vulnerability.