CVE-2017-13014 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
The White Board protocol parser in tcpdump before 4.9.2 has a buffer over-read in print-wb.c:wb_prep(), several functions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13014 represents a critical buffer over-read flaw within the White Board protocol parser of tcpdump software versions prior to 4.9.2. This issue specifically manifests in the print-wb.c file at the wb_prep() function and affects multiple related functions within the same module. The White Board protocol is a network communication protocol used for collaborative whiteboarding applications, and its parser within tcpdump enables network traffic analysis and packet inspection capabilities for security professionals and network administrators.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within the protocol parser's handling of malformed or specially crafted White Board protocol packets. When tcpdump processes network traffic containing White Board protocol data, the wb_prep() function fails to properly validate the length of incoming data buffers before attempting to read from them. This oversight allows an attacker to craft malicious packets that cause the parser to read beyond the allocated memory boundaries, potentially accessing adjacent memory regions containing sensitive data or causing application instability. The flaw occurs during the packet parsing phase when tcpdump attempts to interpret and display White Board protocol information in its output.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes or memory corruption, as it creates potential attack vectors for adversaries seeking to exploit network monitoring tools. Since tcpdump is widely used by security professionals for network traffic analysis, packet capture, and intrusion detection, an attacker who can successfully trigger this buffer over-read could potentially execute arbitrary code on systems running vulnerable versions of tcpdump. This represents a significant risk to network security monitoring capabilities, as the vulnerability could be exploited to compromise the integrity of network analysis tools that organizations rely upon for threat detection and incident response. The vulnerability also aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions in software implementations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-13014 primarily involve upgrading to tcpdump version 4.9.2 or later, which includes patches addressing the buffer over-read issue through proper bounds checking mechanisms. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious traffic, while monitoring for unusual network activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should consider deploying network-based intrusion detection systems with updated signatures to detect and prevent exploitation of this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and bounds checking practices in custom network analysis tools can help prevent similar issues from occurring in other software components. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust memory management practices in network protocol parsers, particularly when dealing with untrusted network data, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for execution through command and scripting interpreter, as exploitation could potentially enable command execution on affected systems.