CVE-2017-15191 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
In Wireshark 2.4.0 to 2.4.1, 2.2.0 to 2.2.9, and 2.0.0 to 2.0.15, the DMP dissector could crash. This was addressed in epan/dissectors/packet-dmp.c by validating a string length.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15191 represents a critical buffer overflow condition within the Wireshark network protocol analyzer software. This flaw affected multiple versions of Wireshark including 2.4.0 through 2.4.1, 2.2.0 through 2.2.9, and 2.0.0 through 2.0.15, creating a significant risk for network security analysts and forensic investigators who rely on this tool for packet analysis. The vulnerability specifically impacted the DMP dissector component which is responsible for interpreting Data Management Protocol packets, a protocol commonly used in telecommunications and network management systems. The flaw originated from inadequate input validation within the packet processing logic, allowing maliciously crafted packets to trigger unexpected behavior in the application.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from a classic buffer overflow scenario where the DMP dissector failed to properly validate string length parameters before processing incoming network data. When Wireshark encountered malformed DMP packets containing excessively long strings or improper string termination sequences, the dissector would attempt to copy data into fixed-size buffers without proper bounds checking. This condition falls under CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow vulnerabilities occurring when insufficient checks are performed on buffer boundaries, and specifically aligns with CWE-129, which addresses insufficient size checks for buffers that could lead to overflow conditions. The flaw exploited the lack of proper validation in epan/dissectors/packet-dmp.c where the dissector routine would blindly process string data without verifying that the input length remained within acceptable limits for the allocated memory buffers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes, potentially enabling remote code execution or denial of service attacks against systems running vulnerable versions of Wireshark. Network security professionals who regularly analyze traffic using Wireshark would face significant risks when processing untrusted network data, as simply opening a maliciously crafted capture file could trigger the exploitable condition. Attackers could craft DMP packets with oversized strings that would cause Wireshark to crash during packet decoding, effectively creating a denial of service scenario that could disrupt network monitoring operations. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which describes the use of remote code execution through application vulnerabilities, and T1489, which covers denial of service attacks targeting network infrastructure tools. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Wireshark is commonly used for security monitoring, incident response, and network troubleshooting activities.
The remediation for CVE-2017-15191 involved implementing proper input validation within the DMP dissector code as referenced in the patch for epan/dissectors/packet-dmp.c. The fix required adding explicit string length validation checks before any buffer operations occurred, ensuring that string parameters remained within expected bounds before processing. This defensive programming approach prevents the buffer overflow condition by establishing clear boundaries for acceptable input sizes and implementing proper error handling for malformed data. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of all affected Wireshark versions to prevent exploitation, as the vulnerability does not require authentication or specialized privileges to trigger. The mitigation strategy should include regular security updates, network segmentation to limit exposure, and implementation of network monitoring solutions that can detect and block potentially malicious DMP traffic patterns. Additionally, security teams should consider implementing network access controls that restrict the types of traffic that can be processed by network analysis tools, reducing the attack surface for similar vulnerabilities in other protocol dissectors.