CVE-2023-2879Public exploitNetwork attack vector

CPU exhaustion via regressing GDSDB parser offset

Published May 26, 2023 · Updated Nov 3, 2025

Denial of service in the GDSDB dissector of Wireshark 3.6.0 through 3.6.13 and 4.0.0 through 4.0.5 allows attackers to exhaust CPU. The add_uint_string() error path returns the remaining byte count as a new absolute offset, which can move parsing backward instead of consuming the buffer. A malformed injected packet or crafted capture file must reach the dissector, causing an infinite loop and sustained CPU consumption.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability1.59%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in the GDSDB dissector of Wireshark 3.6.0 through 3.6.13 and 4.0.0 through 4.0.5 allows attackers to exhaust CPU. The add_uint_string() error path returns the remaining byte count as a new absolute offset, which can move parsing backward instead of consuming the buffer. A malformed injected packet or crafted capture file must reach the dissector, causing an infinite loop and sustained CPU consumption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-2879
Published
May 26, 2023
Updated
Nov 3, 2025
Vendor
Wireshark Foundation
Product
Wireshark
Classifications
CWE-835, T1499
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 26, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 3, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=>=3.6.0, <3.6.14
  2. Affected versionversion=>=4.0.0, <4.0.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Wireshark Foundation · Wiresharkversion=>=3.6.0, <3.6.14; version=>=4.0.0, <4.0.6

Published CVSS scores

7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
6.3GitLab Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-835Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop')
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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