CVE-2026-6868 in Wireshark
Summary
by MITRE • 04/30/2026
HTTP protocol dissector crash in Wireshark 4.6.0 to 4.6.4 and 4.4.0 to 4.4.14 allows denial of service
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/18/2026
The vulnerability in Wireshark versions 4.6.0 through 4.6.4 and 4.4.0 through 4.4.14 represents a critical denial of service flaw within the HTTP protocol dissector component. This issue arises from insufficient input validation and error handling mechanisms when processing malformed HTTP packets, specifically affecting the protocol analysis engine responsible for dissecting network traffic. The flaw manifests as a crash in the Wireshark application when it encounters specially crafted HTTP traffic that triggers an unhandled exception during packet processing. This vulnerability directly impacts network security professionals and analysts who rely on Wireshark for traffic analysis, as the application becomes unavailable during critical network monitoring activities.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management and exception handling within the HTTP dissector module. When Wireshark processes HTTP packets containing malformed headers, unexpected data sequences, or crafted payloads, the dissector fails to properly validate input parameters before attempting to parse and display the data. This results in a segmentation fault or access violation that terminates the application process. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-248, which addresses "Uncaught Exception" conditions in software systems, and represents a classic example of inadequate error handling in network protocol analysis tools. The flaw demonstrates how protocol dissector components can become attack vectors when they fail to implement robust input sanitization and defensive programming practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially disrupt critical network analysis workflows and security monitoring operations. Network security teams who depend on Wireshark for real-time traffic inspection may experience complete service interruption when processing maliciously crafted HTTP traffic, leading to gaps in network visibility and potential security blind spots. During incident response activities or network troubleshooting sessions, such a crash could prevent analysts from accessing crucial traffic data, thereby compromising their ability to perform effective security assessments. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where automated network monitoring systems process large volumes of traffic, as a single malicious packet could cause widespread disruption across multiple analysis sessions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Wireshark installations to versions 4.6.5 or 4.4.15, which contain the necessary code fixes to properly handle malformed HTTP packets. Network administrators should implement network segmentation and traffic filtering to prevent potentially malicious HTTP traffic from reaching systems running vulnerable Wireshark versions. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing alternative traffic analysis tools or establishing redundant monitoring systems to maintain network visibility during patching operations. The fix typically involves implementing proper bounds checking, input validation, and exception handling within the HTTP dissector module to prevent crashes from malformed packet data. Security teams should also conduct thorough testing of patched versions to ensure that the vulnerability has been fully resolved without introducing new compatibility issues in their network analysis workflows. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date network security tools and implementing proper defensive measures against denial of service attacks targeting protocol analysis components.