CVE-2023-0667 is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability identified in Wireshark Foundation's Wireshark software, specifically affecting versions 4.0.5 and earlier. The vulnerability stems from a failure to properly validate the length field in MSMMS protocol packets, which are processed by Wireshark during packet dissection. An attacker can craft a malicious MSMMS packet with an incorrect length value that causes Wireshark to allocate insufficient memory and subsequently write beyond the allocated heap buffer. This memory corruption can lead to a crash of the Wireshark process, resulting in a denial of service. In certain configurations and under specific conditions, this overflow could be leveraged to execute arbitrary code within the context of the user running Wireshark. Exploitation requires that the victim opens a malicious capture file or receives malicious network traffic that Wireshark analyzes. No privileges are required to exploit this vulnerability, but user interaction is necessary. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.5, reflecting network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, but requiring user interaction and impacting availability. No public exploits have been reported yet, and no patches were linked at the time of reporting, indicating that remediation may be pending. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-122, indicating a heap-based buffer overflow issue. This flaw highlights the risks associated with parsing complex network protocols without rigorous input validation in widely used network analysis tools.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2023-0667 is the potential disruption of network monitoring and forensic analysis capabilities due to Wireshark crashes or instability. This can hinder incident response and network troubleshooting efforts, especially in security operations centers (SOCs) and critical infrastructure environments that rely heavily on Wireshark for packet inspection. Although code execution is possible, it is less likely given the complexity and user interaction required, reducing the risk of widespread compromise. However, successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Wireshark user, potentially leading to further system compromise if the user has elevated rights. The availability impact may also affect organizations during active incident investigations, delaying detection and mitigation of other threats. European entities in sectors such as telecommunications, finance, energy, and government, which frequently use Wireshark for network diagnostics, could face operational disruptions. Additionally, the vulnerability could be leveraged in targeted attacks against security analysts or researchers if malicious capture files are shared or downloaded from untrusted sources.

1. Monitor Wireshark Foundation announcements and promptly apply official patches or updates addressing CVE-2023-0667 once released. 2. Until patches are available, avoid opening untrusted or suspicious capture files, especially those containing MSMMS protocol data. 3. Implement strict network segmentation and firewall rules to limit exposure of systems running Wireshark to untrusted networks or sources. 4. Use sandboxing or isolated environments for analyzing unknown capture files to contain potential exploitation. 5. Educate security analysts and network engineers on the risks of opening unverified capture files and encourage verification of file provenance. 6. Employ endpoint protection solutions that can detect anomalous behavior or crashes related to Wireshark processes. 7. Consider alternative packet analysis tools or updated versions that do not exhibit this vulnerability for critical operations. 8. Regularly audit and restrict user privileges to minimize the impact of potential code execution within Wireshark's process context.