CVE-2023-6175 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE • 03/26/2024
NetScreen file parser crash in Wireshark 4.0.0 to 4.0.10 and 3.6.0 to 3.6.18 allows denial of service via crafted capture file
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-6175 represents a critical denial of service flaw within Wireshark's NetScreen file parser component. This issue affects multiple versions of the popular network protocol analyzer, specifically targeting releases from 4.0.0 through 4.0.10 and 3.6.0 through 3.6.18. The vulnerability manifests when Wireshark attempts to process specially crafted capture files that contain malformed NetScreen data structures, leading to an unexpected application crash and complete service disruption. The flaw resides in the parser's handling of specific file format elements that do not conform to expected data patterns, creating a condition where normal file processing operations become impossible.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a buffer over-read or improper memory access condition within the NetScreen file parser module. When Wireshark encounters a capture file containing maliciously constructed NetScreen protocol data, the parser fails to properly validate input boundaries and data structures, resulting in memory corruption that ultimately causes the application to terminate unexpectedly. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, or potentially CWE-129, which covers improper validation of array indices. The parser's failure to implement proper bounds checking when processing variable-length data fields within the NetScreen capture format creates the exploitable condition.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to network security operations and forensic analysis workflows that depend on Wireshark for packet capture examination. Security analysts, network administrators, and incident responders who regularly process network capture files may inadvertently trigger the denial of service condition when opening maliciously crafted files. The impact extends beyond simple application crashes as it can disrupt ongoing network monitoring activities, compromise forensic investigations, and potentially affect security operations centers that rely on continuous packet analysis. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability by distributing malicious capture files to unsuspecting users, effectively creating a persistent denial of service vector that could be used to disrupt network analysis operations or as part of broader attack campaigns.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-6175 primarily involve immediate version upgrades to patched releases of Wireshark, specifically versions 4.0.11 and 3.6.19 which contain the necessary fixes for the NetScreen file parser. Network security teams should implement strict file validation procedures before processing unknown capture files, particularly those obtained from external sources or untrusted networks. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious files, while maintaining regular updates of all network analysis tools to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1498, which covers network denial of service, and represents a critical weakness in software input validation that requires immediate remediation to maintain operational continuity and security posture.