Apple macOS up to 10.12.3 tcpdump memory corruption

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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7.9$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as critical has been detected in Apple macOS up to 10.12.3. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the component tcpdump. This manipulation causes memory corruption. This vulnerability is registered as CVE-2016-7973. Remote exploitation of the attack is possible. No exploit is available. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Apple macOS up to 10.12.3 (Operating System). Affected by this vulnerability is some unknown functionality of the component tcpdump. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a memory corruption vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-119. The product performs operations on a memory buffer, but it can read from or write to a memory location that is outside of the intended boundary of the buffer. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

The AppleTalk parser in tcpdump before 4.9.0 has a buffer overflow in print-atalk.c, multiple functions.

The bug was discovered 01/27/2017. The weakness was published 03/27/2017 as HT207615 as confirmed advisory (Website). It is possible to read the advisory at support.apple.com. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2016-7973 since 09/09/2016. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploitation doesn't need any form of authentication. It demands that the victim is doing some kind of user interaction. The technical details are unknown and an exploit is not publicly available. The advisory points out:

Multiple issues existed in tcpdump before 4.9.0. These were addressed by updating tcpdump to version 4.9.0.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 96884 (Debian DLA-809-1 : tcpdump security update), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family Debian Local Security Checks and running in the context l. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 169804 (SUSE Enterprise Linux Security Update for tcpdump (SUSE-SU-2017:0656-1)).

Upgrading to version 10.12.4 eliminates this vulnerability. A possible mitigation has been published immediately after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (96884) and SecurityFocus (BID 95852†). Similar entries are available at VDB-96107, VDB-96108, VDB-96109 and VDB-96110. Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

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Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 8.0
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.9

VulDB Base Score: 6.3
VulDB Temp Score: 6.0
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 9.8
NVD Vector: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Memory corruption
CWE: CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 96884
Nessus Name: Debian DLA-809-1 : tcpdump security update
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 703775
OpenVAS Name: Debian Security Advisory DSA 3775-1 (tcpdump - security update)
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

Reaction Time: 🔍
0-Day Time: 🔍
Exposure Time: 🔍

Upgrade: macOS 10.12.4

Timelineinfo

09/09/2016 🔍
01/27/2017 +140 days 🔍
01/27/2017 +0 days 🔍
01/27/2017 +0 days 🔍
01/31/2017 +4 days 🔍
03/27/2017 +55 days 🔍
03/27/2017 +0 days 🔍
03/28/2017 +1 days 🔍
05/16/2026 +3336 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: apple.com

Advisory: HT207615
Status: Confirmed
Confirmation: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2016-7973 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2016-7973
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-98695

OVAL: 🔍

SecurityFocus: 95852 - tcpdump Multiple Buffer Overflow Vulnerabilities
OSVDB: - CVE-2016-7973 - tcpdump - Buffer Overflow Issue
SecurityTracker: 1037755

scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20180712
See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 03/28/2017 11:24
Updated: 05/16/2026 16:54
Changes: 03/28/2017 11:24 (86), 11/20/2022 12:52 (3), 05/16/2026 16:54 (15)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

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