CVE-2021-4183 : Security Advisory and Response
Learn about CVE-2021-4183, a medium-severity vulnerability in Wireshark 3.6.0 that allows denial of service attacks. Find out the impact, affected systems, and mitigation steps here.
A detailed overview of CVE-2021-4183 focusing on the vulnerability in Wireshark 3.6.0 and its impact.
Understanding CVE-2021-4183
In this section, we will explore what CVE-2021-4183 entails and the potential risks associated with this vulnerability.
What is CVE-2021-4183?
The CVE-2021-4183 vulnerability involves a crash in the pcapng file parser in Wireshark 3.6.0, which allows for denial of service through a specially crafted capture file.
The Impact of CVE-2021-4183
This vulnerability poses a medium risk with a base severity score of 5.5 out of 10. It can result in a denial of service attack on systems running affected versions of Wireshark.
Technical Details of CVE-2021-4183
This section delves into the technical aspects of the vulnerability, including its description, affected systems, and the exploitation mechanism.
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability stems from a buffer over-read issue in Wireshark, specifically in the pcapng file parser, leading to a crash and denial of service.
Affected Systems and Versions
The vulnerability affects Wireshark version 3.6.0, with this specific version being vulnerable to exploitation.
Exploitation Mechanism
Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by providing a maliciously crafted pcapng file to the Wireshark software, triggering the crash and subsequent denial of service.
Mitigation and Prevention
In this section, we will discuss the steps to mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2021-4183 and prevent potential exploitation.
Immediate Steps to Take
Users are advised to update Wireshark to a patched version beyond 3.6.0 to mitigate the vulnerability and prevent potential denial of service attacks.
Long-Term Security Practices
Maintaining regular updates for software and conducting security assessments can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future.
Patching and Updates
Regularly check for security advisories from Wireshark and apply patches promptly to ensure that your system is protected from known vulnerabilities.