CVE-2024-8250 is a vulnerability identified in the Wireshark network protocol analyzer, specifically within the NTLMSSP dissector component. The root cause is an expired pointer dereference (CWE-825), which occurs when the software attempts to access memory that has already been freed or is no longer valid. This flaw affects Wireshark versions 4.0.0 through 4.0.16 and 4.2.0. Exploitation can be achieved by an attacker crafting malicious network packets or capture files that, when processed by Wireshark, trigger the dereference of invalid pointers. The immediate consequence is a denial of service, as the application crashes, potentially disrupting network analysis and monitoring activities. The vulnerability requires user interaction, such as opening a malicious capture file or receiving malicious packets during live capture. No privileges are required to exploit this vulnerability, making it accessible to low-privileged attackers. The CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8 indicates a high severity, with a vector showing local attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, required user interaction, unchanged scope, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Although no public exploits are known, the vulnerability poses a significant risk to organizations relying on Wireshark for network troubleshooting and security inspection. The lack of a patch at the time of reporting necessitates immediate risk mitigation strategies to prevent exploitation.

For European organizations, this vulnerability can disrupt critical network monitoring and forensic activities by causing Wireshark to crash unexpectedly. This denial of service can delay incident response and network troubleshooting, potentially allowing attackers to operate undetected. Confidentiality and integrity impacts stem from the possibility that memory corruption could be leveraged for further exploitation, although no such exploits are currently known. Organizations in sectors such as finance, telecommunications, government, and critical infrastructure, which heavily depend on network analysis tools, face increased operational risk. The disruption could also affect compliance with regulatory requirements for network security monitoring under frameworks like GDPR and NIS Directive. Additionally, organizations using automated systems that parse capture files for threat detection may experience false negatives or missed alerts due to application instability.

1. Immediately restrict the use of affected Wireshark versions (4.0.0 to 4.0.16 and 4.2.0) and avoid opening capture files from untrusted or unknown sources. 2. Monitor official Wireshark Foundation channels for patches addressing CVE-2024-8250 and apply updates promptly once available. 3. Implement network segmentation and filtering to limit exposure to potentially malicious packets that could trigger the vulnerability during live captures. 4. Use alternative network analysis tools temporarily if possible, especially in high-risk environments, until a patch is deployed. 5. Educate security and network teams about the risk of opening suspicious capture files and enforce strict file handling policies. 6. Employ sandboxing or containerization for running Wireshark to contain potential crashes and limit impact on host systems. 7. Review and enhance incident response plans to quickly address potential denial of service events impacting network monitoring capabilities.