Analyzer crash via undersized Reed-Solomon output buffer
Published Apr 30, 2026 · Updated Apr 30, 2026
Heap-based buffer overflow in Wireshark 4.4.0 through 4.4.14 and 4.6.0 through 4.6.4 allows attackers to crash the analyzer. The DCP-ETSI PFT Reed-Solomon path gives eras_dec_rs a fixed 255-byte block while allocating only fcount × plen bytes, so decoded data overruns the heap buffer. The flaw triggers when the last crafted FEC-enabled UDP fragment is captured or a user opens a malicious trace, interrupting Wireshark or TShark.
Summary
What happened
Heap-based buffer overflow in Wireshark 4.4.0 through 4.4.14 and 4.6.0 through 4.6.4 allows attackers to crash the analyzer. The DCP-ETSI PFT Reed-Solomon path gives eras_dec_rs a fixed 255-byte block while allocating only fcount × plen bytes, so decoded data overruns the heap buffer. The flaw triggers when the last crafted FEC-enabled UDP fragment is captured or a user opens a malicious trace, interrupting Wireshark or TShark.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-5653
- Published
- Apr 30, 2026
- Updated
- Apr 30, 2026
- Vendor
- Wireshark Foundation
- Product
- Wireshark
- Classifications
- CWE-122, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 30, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 30, 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=4.4.0 <4.4.15
- Affected versionversion=4.6.0 <4.6.5
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
- dcp_etsi_heap_overflow.pcapproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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