CPU exhaustion via non-advancing BT SDP offset
Published Aug 24, 2023 · Updated Mar 27, 2026
Infinite looping in Wireshark 3.6.0 through 3.6.15 and 4.0.0 through 4.0.7 allows remote attackers to hang BT SDP packet analysis. The dissect_sdp_type function recurses into sequence members against the full packet buffer, so an oversized contained item can make it revisit the same bytes instead of advancing the offset. A malformed packet on a captured link requires no authentication; a crafted capture file must be opened, and successful exploitation pins the process at 100% CPU.
Summary
What happened
Infinite looping in Wireshark 3.6.0 through 3.6.15 and 4.0.0 through 4.0.7 allows remote attackers to hang BT SDP packet analysis. The dissect_sdp_type function recurses into sequence members against the full packet buffer, so an oversized contained item can make it revisit the same bytes instead of advancing the offset. A malformed packet on a captured link requires no authentication; a crafted capture file must be opened, and successful exploitation pins the process at 100% CPU.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-4511
- Published
- Aug 24, 2023
- Updated
- Mar 27, 2026
- Vendor
- Wireshark Foundation
- Product
- Wireshark
- Classifications
- CWE-835, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 24, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Mar 27, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=3.6.0 <3.6.16
- Affected versionversion=4.0.0 <4.0.8
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- loop-poc.pcapproof of concept · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
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