Executive brief
A vulnerability was found in tcpdump, a widely used tool for monitoring and analyzing network traffic. By sending specially crafted network packets, an attacker could cause the tool to crash or potentially execute unauthorized code. This could disrupt network monitoring operations or allow an attacker to gain a foothold on the system running the analysis software.
Technical details
A buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the relts_print() function within util-print.c of tcpdump versions prior to 4.9.0. The flaw is triggered during the parsing of relative timestamps in several protocol handlers, including DNS, DVMRP, HSRP, IGMP, lightweight resolver protocol, and PIM. An attacker can exploit this by sending specially crafted packets over the network or providing a malicious pcap file for offline analysis. Successful exploitation can lead to a crash (Denial of Service) or potentially arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the tcpdump process. The issue is addressed in tcpdump version 4.9.0.
Affected products
- tcpdump tcpdump before 4.9.0
Timeline
- 2016-10-13: disclosed: CVE assigned date
- 2017-01-26: patched: Upstream release 4.9.0 published
- 2017-01-28: advisory: NVD publication date