CVE-2017-7700 : What You Need to Know
Learn about CVE-2017-7700 affecting Wireshark versions 2.2.0 to 2.2.5 and 2.0.0 to 2.0.11. Discover the impact, technical details, and mitigation steps for this vulnerability.
Wireshark versions 2.2.0 to 2.2.5 and 2.0.0 to 2.0.11 were affected by a vulnerability that could lead to an infinite loop in the NetScaler file parser when encountering a malformed capture file.
Understanding CVE-2017-7700
This CVE entry details a specific vulnerability in Wireshark versions 2.2.0 to 2.2.5 and 2.0.0 to 2.0.11.
What is CVE-2017-7700?
In Wireshark versions 2.2.0 to 2.2.5 and 2.0.0 to 2.0.11, a flaw in the NetScaler file parser could cause the software to enter an endless loop due to a malformed capture file.
The Impact of CVE-2017-7700
The vulnerability could be exploited by an attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition by triggering the infinite loop in the NetScaler file parser.
Technical Details of CVE-2017-7700
This section provides more in-depth technical insights into the CVE-2017-7700 vulnerability.
Vulnerability Description
The issue stemmed from the NetScaler file parser in Wireshark versions 2.2.0 to 2.2.5 and 2.0.0 to 2.0.11, which could get stuck in an infinite loop when processing a malformed capture file.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Wireshark versions 2.2.0 to 2.2.5
- Wireshark versions 2.0.0 to 2.0.11
Exploitation Mechanism
An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by providing a specially crafted malformed capture file, causing the NetScaler file parser to enter an endless loop, leading to a DoS condition.
Mitigation and Prevention
To address CVE-2017-7700 and enhance system security, the following steps are recommended:
Immediate Steps to Take
- Update Wireshark to versions 2.2.6 or later for 2.2.x branch, or versions 2.0.12 or later for 2.0.x branch.
- Avoid opening untrusted or malformed capture files with Wireshark.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update Wireshark and other software to the latest versions to patch known vulnerabilities.
- Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.
Patching and Updates
- Apply security patches provided by Wireshark promptly to mitigate the CVE-2017-7700 vulnerability.