CVE-2017-13767 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
In Wireshark 2.4.0, 2.2.0 to 2.2.8, and 2.0.0 to 2.0.14, the MSDP dissector could go into an infinite loop. This was addressed in epan/dissectors/packet-msdp.c by adding length validation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13767 represents a critical denial of service flaw within Wireshark's network protocol analysis capabilities. This issue affects multiple versions of the popular network traffic analyzer, specifically targeting the Multicast Source Discovery Protocol dissector that processes MSDP packets. The vulnerability manifests as an infinite loop condition that can cause Wireshark to become unresponsive when processing maliciously crafted MSDP traffic, effectively rendering the application unusable for network analysis purposes. The flaw resides in the packet-msdp.c file within the epan/dissectors directory, indicating a core protocol parsing component that handles the interpretation of multicast source discovery protocol data.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the MSDP dissector implementation. When Wireshark encounters MSDP packets with malformed or specially crafted length fields, the dissector fails to properly validate packet boundaries and structure before proceeding with parsing operations. This absence of proper length validation creates a condition where the dissector enters an infinite loop, continuously processing the same packet data without proper termination conditions. The flaw operates at the protocol dissector level, meaning it affects how Wireshark interprets and displays network traffic, rather than impacting the application's core functionality or system-level operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application instability, potentially affecting network security operations and incident response activities. Network administrators and security professionals who rely on Wireshark for monitoring and analyzing multicast traffic could find their analysis tools compromised by malicious actors who exploit this vulnerability. The infinite loop condition consumes system resources continuously, potentially leading to system performance degradation or complete system unresponsiveness when the affected Wireshark instances process malicious packets. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where continuous network monitoring is essential for security operations and where the application might be exposed to untrusted network traffic.
The fix implemented for this vulnerability follows standard security practices by adding proper length validation to the MSDP dissector. This approach aligns with the common principle of input validation and defensive programming, ensuring that all packet lengths and structures are verified before processing. The solution addresses the root cause by implementing bounds checking and ensuring that the dissector terminates processing when encountering malformed packet data. This remediation technique corresponds to the CWE-129 principle of ensuring that input validation includes proper range and length checks, preventing the exploitation of buffer overflows and loop conditions that could lead to denial of service attacks. The fix also demonstrates adherence to the ATT&CK framework's defense evasion techniques by preventing the exploitation of protocol parsing vulnerabilities that could be used to disrupt network monitoring operations. Organizations should prioritize updating to patched versions of Wireshark to mitigate this vulnerability and maintain the integrity of their network analysis capabilities while ensuring that their security tools remain available for critical monitoring tasks.