CVE-2017-5596 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
In Wireshark 2.2.0 to 2.2.3 and 2.0.0 to 2.0.9, the ASTERIX dissector could go into an infinite loop, triggered by packet injection or a malformed capture file. This was addressed in epan/dissectors/packet-asterix.c by changing a data type to avoid an integer overflow.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/14/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5596 represents a critical denial of service flaw within Wireshark's ASTERIX protocol dissector. This issue affects versions 2.2.0 through 2.2.3 and 2.0.0 through 2.0.9, demonstrating how protocol parsing components can become vectors for system instability. The ASTERIX dissector is responsible for decoding Air Traffic Control data formats used in aviation communications, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for security professionals monitoring air traffic control networks and aviation cybersecurity infrastructure.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from an integer overflow condition within the packet processing logic. When processing malformed ASTERIX packets or injecting specially crafted packets, the dissector enters an infinite loop due to improper handling of data type conversions. The vulnerability specifically manifests in the epan/dissectors/packet-asterix.c file where a data type change was implemented to prevent the overflow condition. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-191 Integer Underflow/Overflow, which describes situations where integer operations produce results that exceed the range of the data type being used. The infinite loop occurs because the dissector's loop control variable becomes corrupted due to the overflow, causing the processing routine to never terminate.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system resource exhaustion, as it can be exploited by attackers to disrupt network monitoring operations and potentially compromise the availability of critical network analysis tools. When an infinite loop occurs in a packet dissector, it affects the entire Wireshark application, causing it to become unresponsive and potentially crash. This disruption can be particularly damaging in environments where real-time network monitoring is essential, such as air traffic control facilities, security operations centers, or incident response teams relying on Wireshark for network forensics. The vulnerability can be triggered through multiple attack vectors including packet injection attacks where malicious actors send malformed packets to a target system running Wireshark, or by opening malicious capture files that contain the problematic ASTERIX data structures.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2017-5596 involved a targeted fix within the dissector code that addresses the integer overflow condition by changing the data type used in the problematic calculation. This approach aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for Network Denial of Service and represents a defensive programming practice that prevents integer overflows from causing control flow anomalies. The fix demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and type handling in protocol parsers, which is a fundamental principle in secure software development. Organizations should ensure immediate patching of affected Wireshark versions and implement monitoring for unusual network behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of systems running Wireshark to potentially malicious traffic, particularly in aviation and critical infrastructure environments where such vulnerabilities could have cascading effects on operational safety and security.