CVE-2023-4511 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-835 (Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition) affecting the Wireshark network protocol analyzer. Specifically, the Bluetooth Service Discovery Protocol (SDP) dissector in Wireshark versions 3.6.0 through 3.6.15 and 4.0.0 through 4.0.7 contains an infinite loop flaw. When Wireshark processes a specially crafted Bluetooth SDP packet or a malicious capture file containing such packets, the dissector enters a loop with no exit condition, causing the application to hang indefinitely. This results in a denial of service (DoS) condition, where Wireshark becomes unresponsive and unable to continue packet analysis. The vulnerability requires user interaction, such as opening a malicious capture file or receiving crafted packets during live capture. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.3, indicating medium severity. The attack vector is local (AV:L), meaning the attacker must have access to the network or file system to deliver the malicious input. The attack complexity is low, and no privileges are required, but user interaction is necessary. Confidentiality and integrity impacts are low, as the vulnerability does not allow data disclosure or modification, but availability is impacted due to the DoS effect. No public exploits or active exploitation have been reported to date. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation and loop control in protocol dissectors within network analysis tools.

For European organizations, this vulnerability primarily poses a risk of denial of service affecting network monitoring, forensic analysis, and incident response activities that rely on Wireshark. Organizations in sectors such as telecommunications, critical infrastructure, cybersecurity operations centers (SOCs), and government agencies that use Wireshark extensively may experience operational disruptions if malicious capture files or crafted Bluetooth SDP packets are introduced. Although the vulnerability does not lead to data breaches or system compromise, the loss of availability of Wireshark during critical investigations or monitoring could delay threat detection and response. This may indirectly increase exposure to other cyber threats. Additionally, organizations that share capture files for collaborative analysis may inadvertently propagate malicious files causing DoS on recipients’ systems. The medium severity score reflects the limited scope but tangible operational impact. Since exploitation requires user interaction, the risk is mitigated somewhat by user awareness and controlled handling of capture files. However, the ease of triggering the infinite loop with crafted inputs means attackers with network access or file delivery capabilities could disrupt analysis workflows.

1. Monitor Wireshark Foundation advisories and promptly apply patches or updates when they become available for affected versions 3.6.0 to 3.6.15 and 4.0.0 to 4.0.7. 2. Until patches are released, avoid opening capture files from untrusted or unknown sources, especially those containing Bluetooth traffic. 3. Implement strict file validation and sandboxing when analyzing capture files to limit the impact of potential DoS conditions. 4. Educate SOC and network analysis personnel about the risks of processing unverified capture files and the symptoms of this DoS vulnerability. 5. Use network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to crafted Bluetooth SDP packets from untrusted devices or networks. 6. Consider alternative tools or versions not affected by this vulnerability for critical analysis tasks if patching is delayed. 7. Employ automated scanning of capture files for anomalous Bluetooth SDP content before analysis. 8. Maintain incident response plans that include recovery procedures for Wireshark service disruptions. These targeted measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on operational controls and user awareness specific to this vulnerability’s exploitation vector.