CVE-2018-7333 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-rpcrdma.c had an infinite loop that was addressed by validating a chunk size.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/10/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-7333 represents a critical security flaw 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 Remote Procedure Call over RDMA protocol dissector, specifically in the packet-rpcrdma.c file, where an infinite loop condition can be triggered during packet analysis. The flaw occurs when processing malformed or specially crafted network traffic that contains invalid chunk size values, creating a scenario where the dissector enters an endless processing cycle that consumes excessive system resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the RDMA protocol dissector component of Wireshark's packet analysis engine. When the dissector encounters a packet with an invalid chunk size parameter, it fails to properly validate the input before proceeding with the parsing logic. This validation failure creates a condition where the loop counter or processing mechanism continues indefinitely, as the invalid chunk size parameter prevents proper termination conditions from being met. The issue manifests as a denial of service vulnerability that can be exploited by remote attackers who craft malicious packets specifically designed to trigger this infinite loop scenario. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-835, which addresses infinite loops or iterations without proper termination conditions, making it a classic example of an uncontrolled resource consumption flaw.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-7333 extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can lead to complete system resource exhaustion and application instability. When exploited, the infinite loop consumes CPU cycles continuously, potentially causing system performance degradation or complete application crash. In network monitoring environments where Wireshark is deployed for continuous packet capture and analysis, this vulnerability could be leveraged by attackers to disrupt network operations or create persistent denial of service conditions. The vulnerability affects both the analysis and capture capabilities of Wireshark, as the infinite loop prevents proper packet processing and can cause the application to become unresponsive. This scenario is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where network monitoring tools are critical for security operations and incident response activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-7333 primarily involve upgrading to patched versions of Wireshark where the chunk size validation has been properly implemented. The fix implemented by the Wireshark development team involves adding proper input validation checks that ensure chunk size parameters fall within acceptable ranges before processing continues. Network administrators should prioritize updating their Wireshark installations to versions 2.4.5 or 2.2.13 and later, as these releases contain the necessary patches to prevent the infinite loop condition. Additional defensive measures include implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious traffic, as well as monitoring for unusual CPU usage patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network disruption through resource exhaustion attacks, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on network analysis tools for security monitoring and threat detection operations.