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VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2025-13499: Wireshark · Access of Uninitialized Pointer

Affects WiresharkSource CVE Database V5

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
7.8High
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 2% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 21 Nov 2025

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponised: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq Mirage: no evidence on record.

    No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.

What to do

Affected software

ProductAffectedFixed in
GitHubwireshark/wiresharkpkg:github/wireshark/wiresharkOther threatsAffected
  • =4.6.0
  • =4.4.0
Fixed in–

Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.

AI-suggested

  1. Immediately upgrade Wireshark to a patched version once available from the Wireshark Foundation.
  2. Until patches are released, avoid opening untrusted or suspicious packet capture files, especially those containing Kafka protocol traffic.
  3. Implement network segmentation and filtering to limit exposure to untrusted Kafka traffic sources.
  4. Use sandboxing or isolated environments for analyzing unknown capture files to contain potential crashes.
  5. Monitor network traffic for anomalous Kafka packets that could be crafted to exploit this vulnerability.
  6. Educate security analysts and network engineers about the risk and safe handling practices for capture files.
  7. Consider alternative tools or updated dissectors for Kafka traffic analysis if immediate patching is not feasible.
  8. Integrate crash monitoring and automated restart mechanisms for Wireshark in critical environments to minimize downtime.
  9. Maintain up-to-date backups of capture files and analysis configurations to recover quickly from disruptions.

Description

Kafka dissector crash in Wireshark 4.6.0 and 4.4.0 to 4.4.10 allows denial of service

References

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