CVE-2024-2955 is a vulnerability identified in the Wireshark network protocol analyzer, specifically within the T.38 protocol dissector. The root cause is a mismatched memory management routine (CWE-762), which typically involves improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation, leading to memory corruption. This flaw affects Wireshark versions 4.0.0 through 4.0.13 and 4.2.0. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by injecting specially crafted T.38 packets or by providing a maliciously crafted capture file to Wireshark. When Wireshark processes this malformed data, it triggers a crash, resulting in a denial of service condition. The CVSS v3.1 score is 7.8, indicating high severity, with attack vector local (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and requiring user interaction (UI:R). The impact covers confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as memory corruption could potentially be leveraged for further exploitation beyond DoS, though no such exploits are known currently. The vulnerability is particularly relevant for network analysts and security professionals who routinely open capture files or analyze network traffic using Wireshark. Since Wireshark is widely used for network troubleshooting and security monitoring, this vulnerability poses a risk to operational continuity and data security if exploited.

For European organizations, the primary impact is a denial of service on systems running vulnerable versions of Wireshark, which could disrupt network monitoring and incident response activities. This disruption can delay detection of other security incidents or degrade network troubleshooting capabilities. In critical infrastructure sectors such as telecommunications, finance, and government, where Wireshark is commonly used for packet analysis, such outages could have cascading effects on operational security and compliance. Additionally, the memory corruption nature of the vulnerability could theoretically allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges if combined with other vulnerabilities, though no such exploits are currently known. Organizations relying on Wireshark for forensic analysis or real-time network monitoring may face increased risk of data loss or compromised integrity of captured data. The requirement for user interaction and local access limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk from insider threats or malicious files received via email or removable media.

1. Upgrade Wireshark immediately to a patched version once available; monitor Wireshark Foundation advisories for updates. 2. Until patches are released, restrict Wireshark usage to trusted personnel and environments. 3. Avoid opening capture files from untrusted or unknown sources to prevent triggering the vulnerability. 4. Implement strict network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of systems running Wireshark. 5. Use endpoint protection solutions to detect and block suspicious file activity related to capture files. 6. Educate users on the risks of opening unverified capture files and enforce policies for handling network data. 7. Monitor Wireshark application logs and system stability for signs of crashes or abnormal behavior that could indicate exploitation attempts. 8. Consider deploying alternative packet analysis tools temporarily if patching is delayed and risk is high. 9. Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing focused on network analysis tools to identify similar risks.