CVE-2018-7419 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE
In Wireshark 2.2.0 to 2.2.12 and 2.4.0 to 2.4.4, the NBAP dissector could crash. This was addressed in epan/dissectors/asn1/nbap/nbap.cnf by ensuring DCH ID initialization.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/10/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-7419 represents a critical denial of service issue within Wireshark's network protocol analysis capabilities. This flaw affected versions 2.2.0 through 2.2.12 and 2.4.0 through 2.4.4, where the NBAP dissector exhibited unstable behavior leading to application crashes. The NBAP protocol, or N bearer Access Point protocol, is used in telecommunications networks for managing connections between network elements. The dissector's failure occurred during packet analysis when processing specific NBAP protocol structures, creating a scenario where legitimate network traffic could trigger a complete application shutdown.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper initialization of the DCH ID parameter within the NBAP dissector module. This issue falls under CWE-119, which encompasses weaknesses related to memory access violations and improper handling of data structures. The dissector failed to properly validate or initialize the DCH ID field before attempting to process subsequent protocol elements, resulting in memory corruption that ultimately caused the application to terminate unexpectedly. The flaw was particularly concerning because it could be triggered by analyzing any network traffic containing NBAP protocol data, making it exploitable by attackers who could craft malicious packets to crash Wireshark during normal operation.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-7419 extends beyond simple application instability, as it fundamentally undermines the reliability of network protocol analysis tools used by security professionals, network administrators, and forensic investigators. When Wireshark crashes during packet capture analysis, it disrupts critical network monitoring activities, forensic investigations, and security assessments. The vulnerability could be exploited in scenarios where attackers deliberately send malformed NBAP packets to disrupt network analysis operations, potentially affecting network security operations centers that rely on continuous monitoring. This issue also impacts the broader cybersecurity ecosystem as it demonstrates how protocol analysis tools can be compromised through seemingly benign network traffic processing.
The fix implemented for CVE-2018-7419 involved modifying the epan/dissectors/asn1/nbap/nbap.cnf configuration file to ensure proper DCH ID initialization before protocol processing begins. This remediation approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves network disruption through protocol manipulation, by addressing the root cause rather than merely patching symptoms. The solution ensures that all necessary protocol parameters are properly initialized before any processing occurs, preventing the memory corruption that led to crashes. Network security teams should prioritize updating to patched versions of Wireshark to eliminate this vulnerability, as the fix addresses a fundamental flaw in how the application handles protocol data structures. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of proper initialization and validation in network protocol analysis tools, particularly those handling complex telecommunications protocols like NBAP that are integral to modern network infrastructure monitoring and security operations.