CVE-2026-15163: CWE-835: Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop') in Wireshark Foundation Wireshark
Multiple protocol dissector infinite loops in Wireshark 4.6.0 to 4.6.6 and 4.4.0 to 4.4.16 allow denial of service
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
CVE-2026-15163 describes multiple infinite loop vulnerabilities in Wireshark protocol dissectors affecting versions 4.6.0 through 4.6.6 and 4.4.0 through 4.4.16. These infinite loops occur due to unreachable exit conditions (CWE-835) in the code, allowing crafted packets to cause denial of service by making the application hang or crash. The vulnerability requires local access (AV:L) and user interaction (UI:R) but does not impact confidentiality or integrity, only availability. No vendor advisory or patch information is currently provided.
Potential Impact
Successful exploitation results in denial of service by causing Wireshark to enter an infinite loop, leading to application unavailability. There is no impact on confidentiality or integrity. The attack vector is local with low complexity and requires user interaction.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until a fix is available, avoid opening untrusted or malformed packet captures in affected Wireshark versions. Monitor official Wireshark channels for updates and apply patches once released.
CVE-2026-15163: CWE-835: Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop') in Wireshark Foundation Wireshark
Description
Multiple protocol dissector infinite loops in Wireshark 4.6.0 to 4.6.6 and 4.4.0 to 4.4.16 allow denial of service
CVSS v3.1
Score 5.5medium
Affected software
pkg:github/wireshark/wiresharkRun on your own infrastructure? Check whether these packages are installed with threat-finder — our free open-source scanner.
Weaknesses
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-15163 describes multiple infinite loop vulnerabilities in Wireshark protocol dissectors affecting versions 4.6.0 through 4.6.6 and 4.4.0 through 4.4.16. These infinite loops occur due to unreachable exit conditions (CWE-835) in the code, allowing crafted packets to cause denial of service by making the application hang or crash. The vulnerability requires local access (AV:L) and user interaction (UI:R) but does not impact confidentiality or integrity, only availability. No vendor advisory or patch information is currently provided.
Potential Impact
Successful exploitation results in denial of service by causing Wireshark to enter an infinite loop, leading to application unavailability. There is no impact on confidentiality or integrity. The attack vector is local with low complexity and requires user interaction.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until a fix is available, avoid opening untrusted or malformed packet captures in affected Wireshark versions. Monitor official Wireshark channels for updates and apply patches once released.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- GitLab
- Date Reserved
- 2026-07-08T20:45:13.994Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- null
Threat ID: 6a4ebdf4c9d9e3dbe3bf89f3
Added to database: 07/08/2026, 21:15:32 UTC
Last enriched: 07/16/2026, 10:08:37 UTC
Last updated: 08/22/2026, 22:52:11 UTC
Views: 67
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