CVE-2018-7328 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
In Wireshark 2.4.0 to 2.4.4 and 2.2.0 to 2.2.12, epan/dissectors/packet-usb.c had an infinite loop that was addressed by rejecting short frame header lengths.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/10/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-7328 represents a critical denial of service flaw discovered in Wireshark versions ranging from 2.4.0 through 2.4.4 and 2.2.0 through 2.2.12. This issue resides within the USB protocol dissector component of Wireshark, specifically in the epan/dissectors/packet-usb.c file where the software processes and analyzes USB traffic captures. The flaw manifests as an infinite loop condition that occurs when processing malformed USB frame headers, creating a scenario where the application becomes unresponsive and consumes excessive computational resources.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the USB dissector module. When Wireshark encounters a USB frame with an unexpectedly short header length, the parsing logic fails to properly validate the frame structure before proceeding with subsequent processing steps. This validation gap allows attackers to craft malicious packet captures containing malformed USB headers that trigger the infinite loop behavior. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-835, which specifically addresses the issue of infinite loops in software implementations, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited to cause system resource exhaustion and application crashes.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-7328 extends beyond simple application instability, as it creates significant risks for network security analysts and forensic investigators who rely on Wireshark for traffic analysis. When an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability through a malicious capture file, the affected Wireshark instance becomes unresponsive, potentially leading to complete system hangs or resource exhaustion that can impact other network monitoring activities. This type of denial of service vulnerability directly violates the principles outlined in the ATT&CK framework under the T1499 technique for Network Denial of Service, where adversaries can disrupt network monitoring capabilities through crafted data inputs.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve updating to patched versions of Wireshark where the issue has been resolved through proper input validation and frame header length checking. The fix implemented by the Wireshark development team specifically addresses the problem by rejecting frame headers that fall below acceptable length thresholds, preventing the infinite loop condition from occurring. Organizations should also implement additional security measures such as validating packet capture files before analysis, particularly when dealing with untrusted data sources, and considering network segmentation to limit the impact of potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of robust input validation in network protocol analysis tools, as these applications often process diverse and potentially malicious data streams from network traffic.