CVE-2023-0411 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE • 01/26/2023
Excessive loops in multiple dissectors in Wireshark 4.0.0 to 4.0.2 and 3.6.0 to 3.6.10 and allows denial of service via packet injection or crafted capture file
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0411 represents a critical denial of service flaw affecting Wireshark versions 3.6.0 through 3.6.10 and 4.0.0 through 4.0.2. This issue stems from excessive loop conditions within multiple protocol dissectors that process network traffic data. The flaw manifests when Wireshark encounters specially crafted network packets or capture files that trigger infinite or excessively long loop iterations during protocol analysis. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-835 which specifically addresses the issue of loops with insufficient loop condition checks, making it particularly dangerous in network analysis tools where packet processing is fundamental to operation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within Wireshark's dissector framework where protocol-specific parsers attempt to decode network traffic. When malformed packets or capture files contain structures that cause dissectors to enter infinite loops or extremely long processing cycles, the application becomes unresponsive and consumes excessive CPU resources. This behavior is particularly concerning because Wireshark operates as a network protocol analyzer that must process potentially malicious or malformed traffic from various sources. The flaw affects multiple protocol dissectors including but not limited to those handling specific network protocols, causing the application to hang or crash when processing the crafted inputs. This creates a condition where legitimate network monitoring operations are disrupted and the tool becomes unusable until manually terminated.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-0411 extends beyond simple application instability to potentially compromise network monitoring capabilities and operational security functions. Network administrators and security professionals who rely on Wireshark for traffic analysis, incident response, and network troubleshooting could face complete service disruption when encountering maliciously crafted packets or capture files. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where automated monitoring systems depend on Wireshark for real-time network analysis, as it could lead to complete network visibility loss. Attackers could exploit this weakness by injecting specially crafted packets into network traffic or by providing malicious capture files to unsuspecting users, effectively creating a remote denial of service condition that affects network analysis operations. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.001 which involves network disruption through resource exhaustion.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-0411 primarily involve upgrading to patched versions of Wireshark where the excessive loop conditions have been corrected in the affected dissectors. Users should immediately update to Wireshark 3.6.11 or 4.0.3 which contain the necessary code modifications to prevent infinite loop conditions in protocol parsing. Additionally, network security teams should implement defensive measures such as validating capture files before processing them in production environments and monitoring for unusual CPU usage patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious traffic sources. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and loop termination checks in network protocol analysis tools, and serves as a reminder of the critical need for robust security practices in network monitoring infrastructure.