CVE-2016-7983: tcpdump buffer overflow in BOOTP parser

CVE-2016-7983 · Severity: critical · CVSS 9.8 · Published 2017-01-28

tcpdump is a widely used command-line tool for monitoring and analyzing network traffic. A vulnerability in its BOOTP protocol parser allows an attacker to trigger a buffer overflow by sending specially crafted network packets. This could lead to a complete system crash or allow an attacker to execute unauthorized code on the system running the tool, potentially compromising sensitive network data or the host itself.

Technologies: Tcpdump. Vendors: Tcpdump.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2016-7983 exploited in the wild?
No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2016-7983 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2016-7983?
Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 9.8, published 28 January 2017.
Which products and versions are affected?
tcpdump tcpdump < 4.9.0.
Is there a fix for CVE-2016-7983?
A patch was published on 2017-01-26: tcpdump 4.9.0 released fixing multiple vulnerabilities Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.
How is CVE-2016-7983 attacked?
It is attacked over the network, in a software library.
Am I affected by CVE-2016-7983?
Check whether you run Tcpdump. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

Technical details

A buffer overflow vulnerability exists in tcpdump versions prior to 4.9.0 within the BOOTP (Bootstrap Protocol) parser. The flaw is located in the bootp_print() function in print-bootp.c and is triggered when the application processes malformed BOOTP packets. An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit this by sending specially crafted packets to a network segment where tcpdump is performing live capture, or by tricking a user into opening a malicious pcap file. Successful exploitation can result in a denial of service (application crash) or potentially arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the tcpdump process. The issue was addressed in version 4.9.0.

Affected products

  • tcpdump tcpdump < 4.9.0

Timeline

  • 2017-01-26: patched: tcpdump 4.9.0 released fixing multiple vulnerabilities
  • 2017-01-27: advisory: NVD published CVE-2016-7983

References

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