CVE-2026-15173: CWE-122: Heap-based Buffer Overflow in Wireshark Foundation Wireshark
A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the pcapng file parser of Wireshark versions 4.6.0 through 4.6.6. This flaw can cause the application to crash, resulting in a denial of service condition. The vulnerability is identified as CWE-122 and has a CVSS v3.1 score of 4.7, indicating medium severity. No official patch or remediation guidance has been provided yet by the vendor.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
CVE-2026-15173 is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability in the pcapng file parser component of Wireshark versions 4.6.0 to 4.6.6. This vulnerability can be triggered by processing a specially crafted pcapng file, causing the application to crash and leading to denial of service. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 4.7, reflecting a medium severity with local attack vector, high attack complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required, and impact limited to availability. There is currently no vendor advisory or patch available for this issue.
Potential Impact
Successful exploitation causes a denial of service by crashing Wireshark when parsing malicious pcapng files. There is no indication of confidentiality or integrity impact. The attack requires local access and user interaction, with high attack complexity.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until a fix is available, avoid opening untrusted pcapng files with affected Wireshark versions. Monitor official Wireshark Foundation communications for updates and patches.
CVE-2026-15173: CWE-122: Heap-based Buffer Overflow in Wireshark Foundation Wireshark
Description
A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the pcapng file parser of Wireshark versions 4.6.0 through 4.6.6. This flaw can cause the application to crash, resulting in a denial of service condition. The vulnerability is identified as CWE-122 and has a CVSS v3.1 score of 4.7, indicating medium severity. No official patch or remediation guidance has been provided yet by the vendor.
CVSS v3.1
Score 4.7medium
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-2026-15173 is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability in the pcapng file parser component of Wireshark versions 4.6.0 to 4.6.6. This vulnerability can be triggered by processing a specially crafted pcapng file, causing the application to crash and leading to denial of service. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 4.7, reflecting a medium severity with local attack vector, high attack complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required, and impact limited to availability. There is currently no vendor advisory or patch available for this issue.
Potential Impact
Successful exploitation causes a denial of service by crashing Wireshark when parsing malicious pcapng files. There is no indication of confidentiality or integrity impact. The attack requires local access and user interaction, with high attack complexity.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until a fix is available, avoid opening untrusted pcapng files with affected Wireshark versions. Monitor official Wireshark Foundation communications for updates and patches.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- GitLab
- Date Reserved
- 2026-07-08T20:46:03.869Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- null
Threat ID: 6a4ebdf4c9d9e3dbe3bf8a1b
Added to database: 07/08/2026, 21:15:32 UTC
Last enriched: 07/08/2026, 21:29:31 UTC
Last updated: 07/08/2026, 23:42:31 UTC
Views: 9
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