CVE-2023-0668 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read) affecting Wireshark Foundation's Wireshark software, specifically versions 4.0.5 and earlier. The issue stems from Wireshark's failure to properly validate the length field in IEEE-C37.118 protocol packets, which are used for synchrophasor data in power systems. An attacker can craft a malicious IEEE-C37.118 packet with an incorrect length value that causes Wireshark to perform a heap-based buffer overflow when parsing the packet. This memory corruption can lead to application crashes (denial of service) or potentially arbitrary code execution within the context of the Wireshark process. Exploitation requires that a user open a malicious capture file or that Wireshark processes malicious network traffic, meaning 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 but not confidentiality or integrity. No public exploits have been reported to date. The vulnerability affects multiple Wireshark versions, including 3.6.0 and 4.0.0, which are widely used for network protocol analysis and troubleshooting. Given Wireshark’s role in network security monitoring and diagnostics, exploitation could disrupt network analysis workflows or compromise analyst workstations. The lack of an official patch link suggests that users should monitor Wireshark Foundation advisories for updates. This vulnerability highlights the risks of parsing complex protocol data without rigorous input validation.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2023-0668 lies in potential denial of service or compromise of systems running Wireshark, which is commonly used by network administrators, security analysts, and incident responders. Disruption of Wireshark can delay detection and response to network incidents, increasing organizational risk. In critical infrastructure sectors such as energy, where IEEE-C37.118 protocol is relevant, the risk is heightened as attackers could craft malicious packets to disrupt monitoring tools. Although no confidentiality or integrity impact is directly indicated, successful exploitation could allow code execution, potentially leading to broader system compromise if the analyst workstation is connected to sensitive networks. The requirement for user interaction limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments where untrusted capture files are opened or network traffic is analyzed without filtering. European entities with mature cybersecurity practices may mitigate risk by restricting Wireshark use and enforcing strict file handling policies, but smaller organizations or those in critical sectors may be more vulnerable. The medium severity rating suggests a moderate but non-trivial threat to operational continuity and security monitoring capabilities.

1. Update Wireshark to the latest version as soon as a patch addressing CVE-2023-0668 is released by the Wireshark Foundation. 2. Until a patch is available, avoid opening untrusted or unauthenticated capture files, especially those containing IEEE-C37.118 protocol data. 3. Implement network segmentation and filtering to limit exposure of Wireshark analysis systems to untrusted network traffic that could contain malicious packets. 4. Use sandboxing or isolated virtual machines for running Wireshark to contain potential exploitation impact. 5. Educate network analysts and security teams about the risk of opening suspicious capture files and enforce strict file validation policies. 6. Monitor Wireshark Foundation advisories and CVE databases for updates or proof-of-concept exploits. 7. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to detect anomalous behavior on analyst workstations that could indicate exploitation attempts. 8. For critical infrastructure operators using IEEE-C37.118, consider additional protocol-level filtering or validation to detect malformed packets before they reach analysis tools.