CVE-2017-9344 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
In Wireshark 2.2.0 to 2.2.6 and 2.0.0 to 2.0.12, the Bluetooth L2CAP dissector could divide by zero. This was addressed in epan/dissectors/packet-btl2cap.c by validating an interval value.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9344 represents a critical divide-by-zero error within the Wireshark network protocol analyzer software. This flaw existed in versions 2.2.0 through 2.2.6 and 2.0.0 through 2.0.12, specifically affecting the Bluetooth L2CAP dissector component responsible for analyzing Bluetooth Low Energy and Bluetooth Classic protocol traffic. The issue manifests when the dissector processes malformed Bluetooth L2CAP packets that contain invalid interval values, causing the software to attempt division by zero during packet analysis operations. Such a condition typically results in application crashes or unexpected termination, potentially disrupting network monitoring activities and forensic analysis operations that depend on Wireshark's stability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the epan/dissectors/packet-btl2cap.c file where the Bluetooth L2CAP dissector fails to properly validate incoming interval values before performing arithmetic operations. When processing specially crafted Bluetooth packets, the dissector encounters a scenario where a division operation attempts to divide by zero, leading to a program crash or denial of service condition. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-369, which specifically addresses the divide by zero weakness in software implementations. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation practices where the dissector assumes all incoming data conforms to expected formats without proper boundary checks or error handling mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-9344 extends beyond simple application instability, as it creates potential denial of service scenarios for network monitoring systems that rely on Wireshark for Bluetooth traffic analysis. Security professionals and network administrators using affected Wireshark versions may experience unexpected application termination when processing Bluetooth packets from malicious sources or during routine network analysis. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where Bluetooth traffic monitoring is critical, such as industrial control systems, IoT deployments, or security research labs conducting Bluetooth protocol analysis. The disruption can compromise ongoing network monitoring activities and may provide an avenue for attackers to perform service denial attacks against systems running vulnerable Wireshark versions.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability involves updating to Wireshark versions that contain the patched dissector implementation, specifically addressing the missing input validation in the Bluetooth L2CAP packet processing logic. The fix implemented in the epan/dissectors/packet-btl2cap.c file ensures that interval values are properly validated before any arithmetic operations are performed, preventing the division by zero condition from occurring. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious Bluetooth traffic, while monitoring for unusual network behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1070.004 which covers the use of application or system binaries for execution, particularly in scenarios where network analysis tools are targeted for disruption through malformed packet processing.