CVE-2024-0208 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-230 (Improper Handling of Missing Values) affecting the GVCP dissector component of Wireshark versions 3.6.0 through 3.6.19, 4.0.0 through 4.0.11, and 4.2.0. The GVCP dissector is responsible for parsing GigE Vision Control Protocol packets within Wireshark. The flaw arises when the dissector improperly processes packets or capture files containing missing or malformed values, leading to a crash of the Wireshark application. This crash constitutes a denial of service (DoS) condition, as it disrupts the ability of analysts to use Wireshark for network traffic inspection. Exploitation can occur via crafted network packets injected into a monitored network or by opening a maliciously crafted capture file. The vulnerability requires user interaction, specifically opening a crafted capture file or receiving crafted packets during live capture. The CVSS v3.1 score is 7.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low attack complexity and no privileges required but user interaction needed. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability poses a risk to environments where Wireshark is used for security monitoring and troubleshooting. The lack of a patch link indicates that fixes may be pending or recently released but not linked here.

For European organizations, this vulnerability can disrupt critical network monitoring and forensic activities by causing Wireshark to crash, potentially delaying incident response and threat detection. Organizations in sectors such as finance, telecommunications, energy, and government that rely heavily on Wireshark for packet analysis are particularly vulnerable. The denial of service may also be leveraged as part of a broader attack to mask malicious activity or degrade network visibility. Confidentiality and integrity impacts stem from the possibility that malformed packets could be used to bypass detection or cause misinterpretation of network data. The disruption of availability of network analysis tools can hinder compliance with regulatory requirements for monitoring and logging. Additionally, organizations that share capture files for collaborative analysis may inadvertently propagate malicious files, increasing risk. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially given the public disclosure.

Organizations should proactively update Wireshark to the latest patched versions as soon as they become available from the Wireshark Foundation. Until patches are applied, users should avoid opening capture files from untrusted or unknown sources and restrict the use of Wireshark to trusted environments. Network segmentation and filtering can reduce exposure to crafted GVCP packets by limiting traffic from untrusted networks. Implementing strict access controls on who can capture and analyze network traffic will reduce the risk of exploitation. Security teams should educate users about the risks of opening suspicious capture files and enforce policies for validating capture file sources. Monitoring for abnormal Wireshark crashes or unusual network traffic patterns may help detect exploitation attempts. Finally, consider using alternative or complementary network analysis tools that are not vulnerable to this issue during the interim period.