CVE-2025-5601Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Application crash via out-of-bounds column writes

Published Jun 4, 2025 · Updated Mar 27, 2026

Buffer overflow in Wireshark 4.2.0 through 4.2.12 and 4.4.0 through 4.4.6 allows attackers to crash it via malformed packets. The column utility module's col_clear and col_set_str operations write beyond a 4,096-byte heap allocation while CLNP packet data is dissected. Exploitation requires an injected live packet or user interaction to open a crafted capture file, and the demonstrated consequence is process termination.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.31%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Buffer overflow in Wireshark 4.2.0 through 4.2.12 and 4.4.0 through 4.4.6 allows attackers to crash it via malformed packets. The column utility module's col_clear and col_set_str operations write beyond a 4,096-byte heap allocation while CLNP packet data is dissected. Exploitation requires an injected live packet or user interaction to open a crafted capture file, and the demonstrated consequence is process termination.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-5601
Published
Jun 4, 2025
Updated
Mar 27, 2026
Vendor
Wireshark Foundation
Product
Wireshark
Classifications
CWE-787, CWE-120, T1204.002, T1499
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 4, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=4.2.0 <4.2.13
  2. Affected versionversion=4.4.0 <4.4.7

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Wireshark Foundation · Wiresharkversion=4.2.0 <4.2.13; version=4.4.0 <4.4.7

Published CVSS scores

7.8GitLab Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.5NISTCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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-787Out-of-bounds Write
CWE-120Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow')
T1204.002Malicious File
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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