Executive brief
A vulnerability exists in tcpdump, a widely used tool for monitoring and analyzing network traffic. By sending specially crafted network packets or providing a malicious capture file, an attacker could cause the application to crash or potentially execute unauthorized code. This could lead to a disruption of network monitoring services or a compromise of the system running the tool.
Technical details
A buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the AppleTalk parser component of tcpdump (specifically within multiple functions in print-atalk.c). The flaw is triggered when tcpdump attempts to parse specially crafted AppleTalk network traffic or pcap files. An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit this by sending malicious packets to a network segment where tcpdump is performing live capture or by tricking a user into opening a crafted capture file. Successful exploitation can result in a denial of service (application crash) or the execution of arbitrary code with the privileges of the tcpdump process. The issue is resolved in version 4.9.0.
Affected products
- tcpdump tcpdump < 4.9.0
Timeline
- 2017-01-26: disclosed: Upstream release 4.9.0 announced fixing multiple vulnerabilities
- 2017-01-27: advisory: NVD published CVE-2016-7973
- 2017-01-29: patched: Debian released security update DSA-3775-1