CVE-2017-9347 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
In Wireshark 2.2.0 to 2.2.6, the ROS dissector could crash with a NULL pointer dereference. This was addressed in epan/dissectors/asn1/ros/packet-ros-template.c by validating an OID.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/15/2025
The vulnerability CVE-2017-9347 represents a critical NULL pointer dereference flaw in Wireshark's ROS dissector component affecting versions 2.2.0 through 2.2.6. This issue manifests when processing specific network traffic containing ROS protocol data, where the dissector fails to properly validate object identifier (OID) references before attempting to dereference them. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation within the ASN.1 dissector implementation, specifically in the packet-ros-template.c file that handles ROS protocol decoding. When encountering malformed or unexpected OID structures in network packets, the dissector attempts to access a NULL pointer, resulting in an immediate crash of the Wireshark application and potential denial of service for network analysis operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-476 which describes NULL pointer dereference conditions that occur when a pointer expected to contain a valid address instead contains NULL. This particular flaw demonstrates how protocol dissector components can become vulnerable when they fail to validate the integrity of parsed data structures before utilizing them. The ROS dissector's handling of ASN.1 encoded data structures creates an attack surface where malformed OIDs can trigger the NULL pointer dereference condition. The vulnerability operates at the application layer within Wireshark's packet analysis framework, specifically targeting the dissector subsystem that translates binary network data into human-readable protocol information. This type of flaw represents a classic example of insufficient input validation in network protocol parsing software.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for network security professionals who rely on Wireshark for network traffic analysis and troubleshooting. An attacker could craft malicious network packets containing specially formatted ROS protocol data to crash Wireshark during packet capture analysis, effectively preventing network monitoring and forensic investigations. The denial of service condition affects both automated network analysis tools and manual packet inspection processes, potentially disrupting critical network security operations. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where continuous network monitoring is essential, as it could be exploited to prevent security analysts from investigating network anomalies or conducting security assessments. The crash condition makes the application unusable until manually restarted, creating operational downtime that could be exploited in targeted attacks against network security infrastructure.
The mitigation for CVE-2017-9347 was implemented through the addition of proper OID validation within the packet-ros-template.c file as referenced in the advisory. This fix ensures that before any OID reference is dereferenced, the dissector validates that the OID structure contains valid data and proper references. The solution follows established security practices for protocol dissector development, requiring that all parsed input data be validated before use in memory operations. This approach aligns with the ATT&CK framework's concept of defensive techniques that focus on input validation and sanitization to prevent exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities. Network security teams should ensure their Wireshark installations are updated to versions 2.2.7 or later where this vulnerability has been addressed. The fix demonstrates the importance of maintaining robust input validation in network protocol analysis tools, particularly those handling complex ASN.1 encoded data structures that are common in industrial and enterprise network protocols. Organizations should also implement proper network monitoring to detect unusual packet patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts against dissector vulnerabilities.