CVE-2017-9616 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
In Wireshark 2.2.7, overly deep mp4 chunks may cause stack exhaustion (uncontrolled recursion) in the dissect_mp4_box function in epan/dissectors/file-mp4.c.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/18/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9616 represents a critical stack exhaustion issue affecting Wireshark version 2.2.7, specifically within the mp4 protocol dissector component. This flaw manifests when processing malformed mp4 chunks that contain excessively deep nesting structures, leading to uncontrolled recursion within the dissect_mp4_box function located in epan/dissectors/file-mp4.c. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and recursive processing logic that fails to impose reasonable limits on nesting depth during media file protocol analysis. When a maliciously crafted mp4 file is processed by Wireshark, the dissector function enters an infinite recursive loop, consuming stack memory rapidly until system resources are exhausted and the application crashes or becomes unresponsive.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-674, which describes "Uncontrolled Recursion" as a weakness where a recursive function lacks proper termination conditions or depth limits, resulting in stack overflow conditions. The mp4 dissector in Wireshark employs recursive parsing logic to traverse the hierarchical structure of mp4 containers, where each box (container element) may contain nested boxes. When an attacker crafts an mp4 file with deeply nested box structures, the dissect_mp4_box function recursively processes each nested element without enforcing maximum nesting depth constraints. This recursive traversal continues until the stack space is completely consumed, causing a denial of service condition that prevents normal packet analysis operations. The vulnerability specifically targets the stack memory management during protocol dissection, making it particularly dangerous in network monitoring and forensic analysis scenarios where Wireshark processes untrusted network traffic.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables remote attackers to perform denial of service attacks against systems running Wireshark 2.2.7 by simply providing a malicious mp4 file for analysis. The attack requires minimal privileges and can be executed through normal Wireshark usage patterns, making it highly exploitable in environments where network traffic analysis is performed on potentially malicious files. Network security analysts, forensic investigators, and system administrators who use Wireshark for monitoring network traffic become vulnerable to this attack when processing mp4 files, potentially disrupting critical network monitoring operations and forensic investigations. The vulnerability affects not only individual workstations but also network security appliances, intrusion detection systems, and forensic analysis workstations that rely on Wireshark for protocol analysis, creating widespread potential impact across enterprise network security infrastructures.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-9616 involve immediate software updates to Wireshark versions that contain fixed dissectors with proper recursion depth limits and input validation. The fix typically implements maximum nesting depth checks within the dissect_mp4_box function, preventing recursive processing from exceeding predetermined limits. Network security teams should also implement network segmentation and file filtering policies to prevent untrusted mp4 files from reaching systems running Wireshark. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning and patch management processes to ensure timely deployment of security updates. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1499.004, which covers "Cloud Compute Infrastructure Disruption" through denial of service attacks, and T1566.001, which addresses "Phishing" via malicious file attachments that could exploit this vulnerability during security analysis operations. System administrators should also consider implementing process isolation and resource limits for network analysis tools to prevent complete system compromise from a single vulnerable application instance.