CVE-2016-8574 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
The FRF.15 parser in tcpdump before 4.9.0 has a buffer overflow in print-fr.c:frf15_print().
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/16/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8574 represents a critical buffer overflow condition within the tcpdump network analysis tool, specifically affecting versions prior to 4.9.0. This flaw exists within the FRF.15 parser implementation, which is responsible for interpreting Frame Relay Forwarding (FRF.15) protocol data structures. The buffer overflow occurs in the print-fr.c source file at the frf15_print() function, making it a direct consequence of improper input validation and memory management practices. The FRF.15 protocol is commonly used in frame relay networks for forwarding frames between different network segments, and its improper handling within tcpdump creates a potential attack surface for malicious packet injection.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient bounds checking when processing FRF.15 formatted packets. When tcpdump encounters a packet containing FRF.15 data, the frf15_print() function attempts to process and display the frame information without adequate verification of buffer boundaries. This allows an attacker to craft malicious packets with oversized or malformed FRF.15 headers that exceed the allocated buffer space, causing memory corruption. The vulnerability manifests as a classic stack-based buffer overflow, where the overflowed data can overwrite adjacent memory locations including return addresses and function pointers. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for executing malicious code through buffer overflow exploitation.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-8574 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it presents significant security risks for network monitoring and analysis environments. Network administrators who rely on tcpdump for traffic analysis and security monitoring are particularly vulnerable, as the buffer overflow can be exploited to execute arbitrary code on systems running affected versions of tcpdump. This risk is amplified in environments where tcpdump is run with elevated privileges, such as when capturing packets from network interfaces. The vulnerability affects systems that process or analyze frame relay traffic, making it particularly relevant for legacy network infrastructure, telecommunications equipment, and network security appliances that may still utilize FRF.15 protocols. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to network monitoring systems, potentially leading to complete system compromise or data exfiltration.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-8574 focus primarily on upgrading to tcpdump version 4.9.0 or later, which includes proper bounds checking and memory management fixes for the FRF.15 parser. System administrators should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of tcpdump instances to untrusted network traffic. Additional defensive measures include deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify malformed FRF.15 packets and implementing network monitoring to detect unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in network protocol parsers, as highlighted by CWE-707 and ATT&CK technique T1133 for network infiltration. Organizations should also consider implementing network traffic filtering rules to prevent processing of suspicious frame relay frames, particularly in environments where such protocols are not required for legitimate operations. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include checks for outdated tcpdump installations to ensure comprehensive protection against this and similar buffer overflow vulnerabilities.