CVE-2011-1959: Buffer Overflow
A stack-based buffer over-read flaw was found in the way Wireshark performed management of testy, virtualizable buffers. A remote attacker could create a specially-crafted capture file, which once opened, by a local, unsuspecting user could lead to wireshark application crash.
References: [1] https://bugs.wireshark.org/bugzilla/showbug.cgi?id=5912 (upstream bug report) [2] https://bugs.wireshark.org/bugzilla/attachment.cgi?id=6335 (public reproducer) [3] http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2011/05/31/20 (CVE request) [4] http://www.wireshark.org/security/wnpa-sec-2011-07.html (upstream advisory)
Upstream patch: [5] http://anonsvn.wireshark.org/viewvc?view=revision&revision=37068
Other sources
The snoopread function in wiretap/snoop.c in Wireshark 1.2.x before 1.2.17 and 1.4.x before 1.4.7 does not properly handle certain virtualizable buffers, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a large length value in a snoop file that triggers a stack-based buffer over-read.
— MITRE
Affected Software
Remediation
Patch Available
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2011-1959?
CVE-2011-1959 is classified as a medium severity vulnerability due to the potential application crash caused by a specially-crafted capture file.
How do I fix CVE-2011-1959?
To mitigate CVE-2011-1959, it is recommended to upgrade to a patched version of Wireshark that addresses this buffer over-read flaw.
Which versions of Wireshark are affected by CVE-2011-1959?
The affected versions of Wireshark include 1.2.0 through 1.2.16, as well as some versions in the 1.4.x series.
What is the impact of CVE-2011-1959?
The primary impact of CVE-2011-1959 is that a remote attacker can cause a Denial of Service by crashing the Wireshark application.
Who can exploit the CVE-2011-1959 vulnerability?
CVE-2011-1959 can be exploited by a remote attacker who has the capability to deliver a specially-crafted capture file to a local user.