CVE-2017-13038

The PPP parser in tcpdump before 4.9.2 has a buffer over-read in print-ppp.c:handle_mlppp()

Critical · published September 14, 2017

CVSS v3.1
9.8
EPSS
4%
Percentile
91.4
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

🔥 An unchecked buffer over-read in tcpdump's PPP parser could be a recipe for disaster! Think of it like a restaurant that serves food without checking the kitchen staff's qualifications. If someone slips in bad ingredients, customers might suffer from a surprise that no one saw coming! An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to possibly read sensitive data from memory, allowing them to gain insight into the network traffic details. This could lead to a devastating breach of trust and confidentiality, leaving systems compromised and data exposed!

Put simply

Think of it like a restaurant that serves food without checking the kitchen staff's qualifications. If someone slips in bad ingredients, customers might suffer from a surprise that no one saw coming! The vulnerability in tcpdump arises from a buffer over-read in the PPP parser, specifically in the function handle_mlppp(). This flaw can allow attackers to access data outside the allocated memory bounds, which could lead to unauthorized information disclosure.

What to do

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to possibly read sensitive data from memory, allowing them to gain insight into the network traffic details. This could lead to a devastating breach of trust and confidentiality, leaving systems compromised and data exposed! Upgrade tcpdump to version 4.9.2 or later immediately to patch this critical vulnerability. It's also wise to review your network monitoring practices to ensure there are no additional risks lurking in the shadows. You've got this! Stay vigilant and follow these steps to keep your network secure! 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.1
9.8 · CRITICAL
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.04494 · 91.4th percentile
Published
2017-09-14T06:00Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 14 SEP 06:00Z
    The PPP parser in tcpdump before 4.9.2 has a buffer over-read in print-ppp.c:handle_mlppp()
    cvelistv5