CVE-2023-2952 is a vulnerability identified in the Wireshark network protocol analyzer, specifically within the XRA dissector component. The flaw manifests as an infinite loop caused by a loop with an unreachable exit condition (CWE-835) when parsing certain malformed packets or capture files. Affected versions include Wireshark 3.6.0 through 3.6.13 and 4.0.0 through 4.0.5. When triggered, the infinite loop causes the application to hang indefinitely, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability requires user interaction, such as opening a crafted capture file or receiving malicious network traffic that Wireshark processes. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.3 (medium severity), reflecting local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and required user interaction (UI:R). The impact affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability to a limited degree, primarily availability due to application hang. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication. This vulnerability is significant for environments where Wireshark is used for real-time network analysis or forensic investigations, as an attacker could disrupt monitoring capabilities by causing Wireshark to become unresponsive. The lack of a patch link in the provided data suggests users should verify the latest Wireshark releases for fixes and apply updates promptly.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2023-2952 is the potential denial of service of Wireshark instances used in network monitoring, incident response, and forensic analysis. Disruption of these tools can delay detection and response to other security incidents, indirectly increasing risk. Organizations relying heavily on Wireshark for real-time traffic analysis or automated workflows may experience operational interruptions. While the vulnerability does not allow direct code execution or data exfiltration, the hang state could be exploited in targeted attacks to degrade security monitoring capabilities. This is particularly relevant for critical infrastructure sectors, financial institutions, and government agencies in Europe that depend on continuous network visibility. The requirement for user interaction and local access limits remote exploitation, but crafted capture files distributed via email or shared repositories could be a vector. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the need for proactive mitigation.

1. Upgrade Wireshark to version 3.6.14, 4.0.6, or later where the vulnerability is patched. 2. Restrict the sources of capture files to trusted and verified origins to prevent opening maliciously crafted files. 3. Educate users and analysts to avoid opening untrusted capture files or network traces. 4. Implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of Wireshark instances to untrusted networks or users. 5. Use sandboxing or containerization for Wireshark to isolate the application and minimize impact of potential hangs. 6. Monitor Wireshark processes for abnormal behavior or hangs and automate restarts if necessary to maintain availability. 7. Regularly review and update incident response procedures to account for potential monitoring tool disruptions. 8. Stay informed on Wireshark security advisories and promptly apply future patches.