CVE-2026-3203 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE • 02/25/2026
RF4CE Profile protocol dissector crash 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 RF4CE Profile protocol dissector vulnerability in Wireshark represents a critical denial of service weakness that affects multiple versions of the popular network protocol analyzer. This vulnerability specifically targets the RF4CE (Remote Control Frequency 4 Control Environment) protocol implementation within Wireshark's dissector framework, which is responsible for interpreting and displaying wireless communication data. The issue manifests as a crash condition that can be triggered when processing specially crafted network packets containing RF4CE Profile protocol data. The affected versions span Wireshark 4.6.0 through 4.6.3 and 4.4.0 through 4.4.13, indicating a widespread impact across several release cycles. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of robustness in network analysis tools, where a single malformed packet should not cause the entire application to terminate unexpectedly.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate input validation within the RF4CE Profile protocol dissector module. When Wireshark encounters RF4CE protocol data in captured network traffic, the dissector attempts to parse and interpret the packet structure without sufficient bounds checking or error handling mechanisms. This parsing routine fails to properly validate the length fields and data structures inherent in RF4CE protocol packets, leading to memory access violations or buffer overflows when processing malformed data. The vulnerability can be exploited by an attacker who has the ability to inject malicious RF4CE protocol packets into the network traffic being analyzed, or by manipulating captured packet data to trigger the crash condition. The underlying cause aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-125, which addresses out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application instability, as it can severely disrupt network forensic analysis and security operations. Network security professionals who rely on Wireshark for incident response, network troubleshooting, and security monitoring could experience complete tool failure when encountering RF4CE protocol traffic, potentially leading to loss of critical network visibility. In enterprise environments where Wireshark is used for continuous network monitoring, this vulnerability could create significant operational disruptions and may mask actual security incidents by preventing proper network analysis. The denial of service nature means that legitimate network traffic analysis is completely halted, potentially affecting security operations that depend on real-time network monitoring capabilities. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046, which covers network service scanning, as the crash could be leveraged to disrupt network monitoring systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action from affected organizations. The most effective solution is to upgrade to Wireshark versions 4.4.14 or 4.6.4, which contain the necessary patches to address the RF4CE dissector crash condition. System administrators should implement automated patch management processes to ensure all network analysis tools remain current with security updates. Organizations may also consider implementing network segmentation or traffic filtering to isolate RF4CE protocol traffic until the upgrade is complete, though this approach introduces additional operational complexity. Additionally, network security teams should monitor for potential exploitation attempts and maintain alternative network analysis capabilities to ensure continued visibility during the remediation period. The vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security assessments and the need for robust input validation in protocol dissector implementations within network analysis tools.