CVE-2026-0961Public exploit

Application crash via unchecked BLF buffer copy

Published Jan 14, 2026 · Updated Jan 14, 2026

Out-of-bounds write in Wireshark 4.6.0 through 4.6.2 and 4.4.0 through 4.4.12 allows attackers to crash the application via a crafted BLF file. The blf_pull_logcontainer_into_memory function allocates a heap buffer from the untrusted real_length field but copies data_length bytes from the same file without verifying that the read fits. Exploitation requires a user to open the malformed capture in Wireshark or TShark, after which the unchecked copy corrupts heap memory and terminates the process.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds write in Wireshark 4.6.0 through 4.6.2 and 4.4.0 through 4.4.12 allows attackers to crash the application via a crafted BLF file. The blf_pull_logcontainer_into_memory function allocates a heap buffer from the untrusted real_length field but copies data_length bytes from the same file without verifying that the read fits. Exploitation requires a user to open the malformed capture in Wireshark or TShark, after which the unchecked copy corrupts heap memory and terminates the process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-0961
Published
Jan 14, 2026
Updated
Jan 14, 2026
Vendor
Wireshark Foundation
Product
Wireshark
Classifications
CWE-787, T1204.002, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 14, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 14, 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=4.4.0 <4.4.13
  2. Affected versionversion=4.6.0 <4.6.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Wireshark Foundation · Wiresharkversion=4.4.0 <4.4.13; version=4.6.0 <4.6.3

Published CVSS scores

5.5GitLab Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
6.5NIST NVDCVSS: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.

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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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
T1204.002Malicious File
T1499.004Endpoint 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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