CVE-2016-7177 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
epan/dissectors/packet-catapult-dct2000.c in the Catapult DCT2000 dissector in Wireshark 2.x before 2.0.6 does not restrict the number of channels, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (buffer over-read and application crash) via a crafted packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-7177 resides within the Catapult DCT2000 dissector component of Wireshark version 2.x prior to 2.0.6. This flaw specifically affects the packet-catapult-dct2000.c file which processes network traffic data for Catapult DCT2000 devices. The vulnerability represents a classic buffer over-read condition that occurs when the dissector fails to properly validate or limit the number of channels specified in crafted network packets. Such a condition allows malicious actors to construct specially formatted packets that trigger memory access violations when Wireshark attempts to parse the malformed data. The issue manifests as a denial of service attack that can crash the application and render network traffic analysis impossible. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous in network security monitoring environments where Wireshark serves as a critical tool for traffic inspection and forensic analysis. The flaw directly maps to CWE-129, which describes improper validation of length parameters, and can be categorized under the broader ATT&CK technique T1499.002 for network denial of service attacks. When exploited, this vulnerability enables remote attackers to cause arbitrary application crashes through carefully crafted packet data that bypasses normal input validation mechanisms. The root cause stems from insufficient bounds checking in the dissector's channel processing logic, allowing an attacker to specify an excessive number of channels that exceeds the allocated buffer space. This results in memory corruption that ultimately leads to application termination and system instability. The vulnerability affects organizations relying on Wireshark for network monitoring, incident response, and security analysis operations where continuous availability of network analysis tools is critical. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise network security operations and forensic capabilities. Organizations utilizing Wireshark for network traffic analysis must understand that this vulnerability can be exploited in environments where untrusted network traffic is processed, including security operations centers, forensic laboratories, and network monitoring stations. The exploitability of this vulnerability is relatively straightforward, requiring only the ability to inject specially crafted packets into the network traffic that Wireshark is monitoring, making it particularly concerning for automated network monitoring systems. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in network protocol analysis tools where malformed data from untrusted sources must be handled gracefully without causing application failures. This flaw underscores the necessity for robust buffer management and input sanitization practices in network security applications. The remediation approach involves updating to Wireshark version 2.0.6 or later, which includes proper bounds checking and channel limiting mechanisms that prevent the buffer over-read condition from occurring. Security administrators should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious traffic. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical need for regular security updates in network analysis tools and the potential consequences of buffer over-read conditions in protocol parsing components. Organizations should establish comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure timely deployment of security fixes for network monitoring tools. The technical nature of this vulnerability highlights the importance of defensive programming practices in security applications and the potential for seemingly benign protocol parsing to become a vector for application compromise. Network security teams must remain vigilant about the security posture of their analysis tools and maintain awareness of vulnerabilities that could impact their operational capabilities. This vulnerability type represents a common class of issues in network protocol analysis software where insufficient input validation leads to memory corruption and application instability. The impact on network security operations can be significant, as the disruption of network analysis tools can impede incident response and ongoing security monitoring activities. Organizations should prioritize the remediation of this vulnerability through proper patch management and ensure that their network security infrastructure maintains current security postures to prevent exploitation. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK framework's focus on service disruption and application stability attacks, emphasizing the need for resilient network security tooling.