CVE-2017-9617 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
In Wireshark 2.2.7, deeply nested DAAP data may cause stack exhaustion (uncontrolled recursion) in the dissect_daap_one_tag function in epan/dissectors/packet-daap.c in the DAAP dissector.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9617 represents a critical stack exhaustion issue within the Wireshark network protocol analyzer software. This flaw specifically affects version 2.2.7 and manifests in the DAAP (Digital Audio Access Protocol) dissector component responsible for analyzing Apple's media streaming protocol. The vulnerability arises from improper handling of nested DAAP data structures during packet analysis, creating a condition where recursive function calls can consume excessive stack memory resources. The DAAP protocol is commonly used by Apple devices for sharing digital media content over networks, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for network monitoring environments where such traffic might be analyzed.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the dissect_daap_one_tag function located in epan/dissectors/packet-daap.c within the Wireshark codebase. When processing DAAP packets containing deeply nested data structures, this function exhibits uncontrolled recursive behavior that leads to stack exhaustion. The recursive calls continue indefinitely until the available stack space is completely consumed, resulting in a crash of the Wireshark application. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-674 category of "Uncontrolled Recursion" and represents a classic example of a stack-based buffer overflow condition that can be exploited to cause denial of service. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation and inadequate recursion depth checking mechanisms within the protocol dissector implementation.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-9617 extends beyond simple application instability, as it creates a significant denial of service vulnerability that can be exploited by malicious actors. Network administrators and security analysts who rely on Wireshark for network traffic analysis and monitoring face potential disruption of their investigative capabilities when encountering specially crafted DAAP packets. The vulnerability can be triggered simply by opening a malformed packet capture file containing deeply nested DAAP data, making it particularly dangerous in environments where automated analysis tools process untrusted network traffic. This weakness directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001, which involves network disruption through application or system manipulation, and represents a critical concern for security operations centers that depend on stable packet analysis tools.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate software updates to patched versions of Wireshark where the recursive behavior has been addressed through proper recursion depth limiting and input validation. Organizations should implement network segmentation and traffic filtering to reduce exposure to potentially malicious DAAP traffic, particularly in environments where Wireshark is used for continuous monitoring. The fix typically involves implementing maximum recursion depth checks within the dissect_daap_one_tag function to prevent unlimited recursive calls while maintaining protocol analysis accuracy. Additionally, network security teams should consider implementing automated monitoring for unusual Wireshark process behavior and establish incident response procedures for dealing with potential exploitation attempts. Security practices should emphasize regular software updates and vulnerability management processes to prevent similar issues from arising in other network analysis tools. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of proper recursion handling in protocol analysis software and the critical need for robust input validation in network security tools.