Wireshark 1.2.0 through 1.2.14, 1.4.0 through 1.4.3, and 1.5.0 frees an uninitialized…
Priority MEDIUM 40CWE-119Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- — Not recorded in CVSS 2.0
- Attack complexity
- Medium
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Partial · Partial · Partial
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 2.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-119 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
Wireshark 1.2.0 through 1.2.14, 1.4.0 through 1.4.3, and 1.5.0 frees an uninitialized pointer during processing of a .pcap file in the pcap-ng format, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a malformed file.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.07508 94th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD
Fix Fixed Red Hat: 2 advisories
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 20
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.2.0 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.2.1 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.2.2 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.2.3 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.2.4 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.2.5 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.2.6 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.2.7 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.2.8 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.2.9 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.2.0 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.2.1 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.2.2 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.2.3 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.2.4 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.2.5 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.2.6 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.2.7 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.2.8 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.2.9 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
Show 10 more CPE
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.2.10 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.2.11 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.2.12 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.2.13 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.2.14 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.4.0 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.4.1 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.4.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.4.2 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.4.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.4.3 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
| cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.5.0 | Vulnerable | Wireshark Foundation |
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.2.10 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.2.11 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.2.12 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.2.13 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.2.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.2.14 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.4.0 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.4.1 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.4.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.4.2 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.4.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.4.3 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
- cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.5.0 Vulnerable ·Wireshark Foundation
Remediation
Red Hat 2 advisories
- RHSA-2011:0370 Released 2011-03-21 · Red Hat rating Moderatewireshark security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux (v. 5.6.z server) wireshark-1.0.15-1.el5_6.4, wireshark-1.0.15-1.el5_6.4.i386, wireshark-1.0.15-1.el5_6.4.ia64 +5
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS version 4 wireshark-1.0.15-2.el4, wireshark-1.0.15-2.el4.i386, wireshark-1.0.15-2.el4.ia64 +5
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop version 4 wireshark-1.0.15-2.el4, wireshark-1.0.15-2.el4.i386, wireshark-gnome-1.0.15-2.el4 +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 4 wireshark-1.0.15-2.el4, wireshark-1.0.15-2.el4.i386, wireshark-1.0.15-2.el4.ia64 +3
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 4 wireshark-1.0.15-2.el4, wireshark-1.0.15-2.el4.i386, wireshark-1.0.15-2.el4.ia64 +3
- RHSA-2011:0369 Released 2011-03-21 · Red Hat rating Moderatewireshark security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 6) wireshark-1.2.15-1.el6_0.1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Optional (v. 6) wireshark-1.2.15-1.el6_0.1, wireshark-devel-1.2.15-1.el6_0.1, wireshark-gnome-1.2.15-1.el6_0.1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6) wireshark-1.2.15-1.el6_0.1, wireshark-1.2.15-1.el6_0.1.ppc
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6) wireshark-1.2.15-1.el6_0.1, wireshark-devel-1.2.15-1.el6_0.1, wireshark-devel-1.2.15-1.el6_0.1.ppc +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6) wireshark-1.2.15-1.el6_0.1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6) wireshark-1.2.15-1.el6_0.1, wireshark-devel-1.2.15-1.el6_0.1, wireshark-gnome-1.2.15-1.el6_0.1
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux (v. 5.6.z server) | Fixed | RHSA-2011:0370 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS version 4 | Fixed | RHSA-2011:0370 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2011:0369 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Optional (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2011:0369 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop version 4 | Fixed | RHSA-2011:0370 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 4 | Fixed | RHSA-2011:0370 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2011:0369 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2011:0369 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 4 | Fixed | RHSA-2011:0370 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2011:0369 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2011:0369 |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2011-0538
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-mh8c-wx62-vg9v
References
Advisory 12
Other 6
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:14605
- http://www.wireshark.org/docs/relnotes/wireshark-1.2.15.html
- http://www.wireshark.org/docs/relnotes/wireshark-1.4.4.html
- http://www.wireshark.org/security/wnpa-sec-2011-04.html
- http://www.wireshark.org/security/wnpa-sec-2011-03.html
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=676232
More Wireshark Foundation Wireshark vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-53718 Heap-based Buffer Overflow in Wireshark CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-63612 Heap-based Buffer Overflow in Wireshark CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2024-16149 A buffer overflow in Wireshark before 4.2.0 allows a remote attacker to cause a denial of… CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2010-00291 Multiple buffer overflows in the LWRES dissector in Wireshark 0.9.15 through 1.0.10 and… CVSS 2.0HIGH 7.5
- TI-2026-63614 Heap-based Buffer Overflow in Wireshark CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
- TI-2014-01823 Buffer overflow in the mpeg_read function in wiretap/mpeg.c in the MPEG parser in… CVSS 2.0HIGH 9.3
Sources
- CVE-2011-0538 · CVE Program
- CVE-2011-0538 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-mh8c-wx62-vg9v · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2011-0538 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences