CVE-2016-9376 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
In Wireshark 2.2.0 to 2.2.1 and 2.0.0 to 2.0.7, the OpenFlow dissector could crash with memory exhaustion, triggered by network traffic or a capture file. This was addressed in epan/dissectors/packet-openflow_v5.c by ensuring that certain length values were sufficiently large.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-9376 represents a critical memory exhaustion flaw within Wireshark's OpenFlow dissector component, affecting versions ranging from 2.2.0 through 2.2.1 and 2.0.0 through 2.0.7. This issue stems from inadequate validation of length parameters within the OpenFlow protocol dissection logic, specifically in the epan/dissectors/packet-openflow_v5.c file where the dissector processes OpenFlow protocol packets. The flaw manifests when Wireshark encounters malformed or malicious OpenFlow traffic that contains unexpectedly small length values, causing the application to allocate insufficient memory for processing the packet data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the OpenFlow dissector's failure to properly validate the length field in OpenFlow protocol headers before allocating memory resources for packet processing. When a maliciously crafted OpenFlow packet contains a length value that appears valid but is actually insufficient for the expected data structure, the dissector proceeds to allocate memory based on this incorrect value. This results in a memory exhaustion condition where the application consumes excessive memory resources or attempts to access memory inappropriately, leading to a complete application crash. The vulnerability operates at the protocol dissection layer of Wireshark, which is responsible for interpreting network traffic and presenting it in a human-readable format for network analysis.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-9376 extends beyond simple application instability, presenting significant security risks to network monitoring and analysis environments. Network administrators and security analysts who rely on Wireshark for traffic analysis and troubleshooting could experience complete service disruption when processing malicious network traffic or capture files containing the vulnerable OpenFlow packets. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where Wireshark is used for continuous network monitoring, intrusion detection, or forensic analysis, as a single malicious packet could cause the entire analysis session to terminate. The crash occurs during the packet dissection process, meaning that even legitimate network traffic could be disrupted if it contains fragments of malicious OpenFlow data or if the dissector encounters unexpected packet structures during normal operation.
The fix implemented by the Wireshark development team addresses the root cause by adding proper validation checks to ensure that length values in OpenFlow protocol headers meet minimum acceptable thresholds before memory allocation occurs. This remediation follows established security principles for input validation and memory safety, preventing the exploitation of length field manipulation to cause memory exhaustion. The solution aligns with common security practices outlined in the CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) catalog, specifically addressing CWE-129: "Improper Validation of Array Index" and CWE-704: "Incorrect Type Conversion or Cast," which are directly relevant to the memory allocation and validation issues present in the original implementation. The patch demonstrates adherence to secure coding practices that prevent buffer overflows and memory exhaustion conditions, which are commonly targeted by attackers seeking to disrupt network monitoring tools.
From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the technique T1059.001: "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell" and T1498.001: "Network Denial of Service: Direct Network Flood" through its potential for causing service disruption and application crashes. The vulnerability could be exploited as part of a broader attack chain where an adversary first gains access to a network monitoring system and then uses this memory exhaustion flaw to disrupt network analysis capabilities, effectively creating a denial of service condition for legitimate network monitoring activities. Network security teams should consider this vulnerability when implementing defensive measures against network-based attacks, particularly in environments where network traffic analysis tools are critical components of the security infrastructure. The fix serves as a prime example of how proper input validation and memory management can prevent exploitation of protocol dissector vulnerabilities, which are commonly targeted in advanced persistent threat campaigns and network reconnaissance activities.