CVE-2023-2879 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE • 05/27/2023
GDSDB infinite loop in Wireshark 4.0.0 to 4.0.5 and 3.6.0 to 3.6.13 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-2023-2879 represents a critical denial of service flaw within Wireshark's GDSDB (Gigabit Data Storage Database) protocol handling mechanism. This issue affects Wireshark versions ranging from 4.0.0 through 4.0.5 and 3.6.0 through 3.6.13, creating a significant operational risk for network analysis and forensic activities. The flaw manifests as an infinite loop during packet processing, which can be triggered through either direct packet injection or by opening a specially crafted capture file, making it particularly dangerous in both active network monitoring and offline analysis scenarios.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in improper input validation and state management within Wireshark's GDSDB dissector component. When processing packets that conform to the GDSDB protocol structure, the dissector fails to implement adequate loop termination conditions, causing the application to enter an infinite processing loop. This occurs because the parser does not properly validate the length fields or iteration counters within GDSDB packet headers, allowing maliciously crafted data structures to cause the dissector to continuously process the same data segment without advancing through the packet structure. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-835, which specifically addresses infinite loops in software implementations, and represents a classic example of a resource exhaustion attack vector.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-2879 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can compromise the entire network analysis workflow for organizations relying on Wireshark for critical infrastructure monitoring. When an attacker successfully triggers this vulnerability through packet injection, network analysts face complete application hang or crash, potentially leaving critical network visibility gaps during security incidents. In environments where automated capture and analysis systems depend on Wireshark, this vulnerability can cause cascading failures that impact incident response capabilities and network security posture. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001, which covers network denial of service attacks, and demonstrates how protocol parsing flaws can be weaponized to achieve system availability compromise.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Wireshark installations to versions that contain the fixed dissector implementation. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious packet injection attempts, while also establishing capture file validation procedures for any external or untrusted network traffic analysis. Network administrators should consider deploying automated monitoring solutions that can detect and alert on Wireshark process hangs or resource exhaustion conditions. The vulnerability highlights the importance of thorough protocol validation and defensive programming practices, particularly in security tools that process untrusted network data. Additionally, organizations should implement capture file quarantine procedures for suspicious traffic and maintain regular backup procedures to ensure continuity of network monitoring operations during remediation activities.