CVE-2018-5336 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Wireshark versions 2.4.0 to 2.4.3 and 2.2.0 to 2.2.11 experienced crashing dissectors due to recursion depth issues. The problem was resolved by restricting recursion depth in epan/tvbparse.c, preventing crashes in dissectors handling JSON, XML, NTP, XMPP, and GDB.

Understanding CVE-2018-5336

This CVE entry addresses a vulnerability in Wireshark versions 2.4.0 to 2.4.3 and 2.2.0 to 2.2.11 that could lead to crashing dissectors.

What is CVE-2018-5336?

In Wireshark versions 2.4.0 to 2.4.3 and 2.2.0 to 2.2.11, certain dissectors like JSON, XML, NTP, XMPP, and GDB were prone to crashing due to recursion depth issues.

The Impact of CVE-2018-5336

The vulnerability could cause crashing dissectors, potentially leading to denial of service or other security risks.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-5336

Wireshark vulnerability details and affected systems.

Vulnerability Description

The issue in Wireshark versions 2.4.0 to 2.4.3 and 2.2.0 to 2.2.11 allowed crashing dissectors, affecting JSON, XML, NTP, XMPP, and GDB handling.

Affected Systems and Versions

Wireshark 2.4.0 to 2.4.3
Wireshark 2.2.0 to 2.2.11

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability exploited recursion depth in epan/tvbparse.c, causing crashes in specific dissectors.

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to address and prevent CVE-2018-5336.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Wireshark to the latest version.
Apply patches provided by Wireshark.
Monitor vendor advisories for further instructions.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch software to address vulnerabilities.
Implement network segmentation to contain potential attacks.
Conduct regular security assessments and audits.

Patching and Updates

Install the latest Wireshark updates to mitigate the vulnerability.