CVE-2016-5358 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
epan/dissectors/packet-pktap.c in the Ethernet dissector in Wireshark 2.x before 2.0.4 mishandles the packet-header data 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 • 09/13/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-5358 resides within the Ethernet dissector component of Wireshark version 2.x prior to 2.0.4, specifically in the packet-pktap.c file. This flaw represents a classic buffer over-read condition that occurs when the application processes malformed packet-header data types during network traffic analysis. The vulnerability manifests when Wireshark attempts to dissect packets that contain improperly formatted header structures, leading to unpredictable behavior in the application's memory management routines.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the packet dissection logic. When Wireshark encounters a packet with malformed header information, the dissector fails to properly validate the data type fields before attempting to parse them. This oversight creates a scenario where the application may attempt to read memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries, resulting in a segmentation fault that terminates the application process. The flaw operates at the protocol dissector layer, which is responsible for interpreting network packet contents and presenting them in a human-readable format to analysts.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to network security analysts and forensic investigators who rely on Wireshark for network traffic analysis. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specially designed packets that trigger the buffer over-read condition, causing Wireshark to crash and potentially leading to a denial of service condition. The impact extends beyond simple application interruption, as analysts may lose access to critical network traffic data during security investigations or incident response activities. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where Wireshark is used for continuous network monitoring or automated analysis processes.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which describes improper validation of array indices, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with the ATT&CK technique T1490 for denial of service through application crash. Organizations utilizing Wireshark for network security operations must consider the potential for this vulnerability to be exploited in targeted attacks against network monitoring systems. The remediation strategy involves upgrading to Wireshark version 2.0.4 or later, which includes proper input validation and bounds checking mechanisms. Additionally, network administrators should implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts, while security teams should maintain updated threat intelligence regarding similar vulnerabilities in network analysis tools.