CVE-2026-3201 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE • 02/25/2026
USB HID protocol dissector memory exhaustion in Wireshark 4.6.0 to 4.6.3 and 4.4.0 to 4.4.13 allows denial of service
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/02/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2026-3201 represents a critical memory exhaustion flaw within Wireshark's USB HID protocol dissector component. This issue affects specific versions of Wireshark including releases from 4.6.0 through 4.6.3 and 4.4.0 through 4.4.13, creating a window of exposure for network security professionals and forensic analysts who rely on this network protocol analyzer. The flaw manifests when the dissector processes malformed USB HID protocol packets, leading to uncontrolled memory consumption that can ultimately result in application crash or complete denial of service conditions. The vulnerability operates at the protocol analysis layer where Wireshark parses and interprets network traffic, specifically targeting the USB Human Interface Device communication protocol which is commonly used in various network forensic scenarios and security assessments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the USB HID dissector module. When processing specially crafted USB HID packets, the dissector fails to properly handle memory allocation for packet data structures, leading to progressive memory consumption without appropriate bounds checking or resource cleanup mechanisms. This type of flaw falls under the CWE-400 category of Uncontrolled Resource Consumption, which represents a fundamental weakness in resource management where applications fail to properly control or limit resource usage. The dissector's failure to implement proper memory bounds checking during packet parsing creates a condition where maliciously constructed USB HID traffic can cause the application to continuously allocate memory until system resources are exhausted. This memory exhaustion pattern directly aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for Network Denial of Service, where adversaries leverage application vulnerabilities to consume system resources and render services unavailable.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to network security operations and digital forensics environments where Wireshark serves as a critical tool for traffic analysis. Security analysts, incident responders, and network administrators who utilize Wireshark for monitoring network activity, investigating security incidents, or performing protocol analysis face potential disruption of their operational capabilities. The vulnerability can be exploited by attackers who craft malicious USB HID protocol traffic, potentially causing network monitoring systems to become unresponsive or crash entirely. This denial of service condition affects not only individual analyst workstations but also network infrastructure that relies on continuous monitoring capabilities. The impact extends beyond simple service interruption as the vulnerability can compromise the integrity of ongoing network investigations, forcing security teams to restart analysis sessions and potentially lose valuable forensic data. Organizations that depend on Wireshark for compliance monitoring, network troubleshooting, or security event analysis face operational risks that could affect their overall security posture and incident response capabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2026-3201 should prioritize immediate version upgrades to Wireshark 4.6.4 or 4.4.14, which contain the necessary patches to address the memory exhaustion vulnerability. Network security teams should implement temporary network segmentation or traffic filtering measures to prevent potentially malicious USB HID protocol traffic from reaching systems running vulnerable Wireshark versions. Organizations should also consider implementing additional monitoring for unusual memory consumption patterns in network analysis systems, enabling early detection of potential exploitation attempts. The patch resolution addresses the root cause by implementing proper bounds checking and memory management within the USB HID dissector, preventing uncontrolled memory allocation during packet processing. Security professionals should conduct comprehensive testing of patched versions to ensure that the vulnerability has been fully resolved without introducing regressions in protocol analysis capabilities. Additionally, organizations should review their network monitoring procedures to identify any systems that may be vulnerable and establish protocols for rapid response to similar future vulnerabilities, emphasizing the importance of regular software updates and vulnerability management practices in maintaining secure network operations.