Process crash via NULL packet-state dereference
Published Aug 19, 2026 · Updated Aug 20, 2026
NULL pointer dereference in Wireshark H.245 dissection before 4.6.8 and 4.4.18 allows attackers to crash the process via crafted packet data. The returnedFunction decoder clears the active h245_pi packet-state pointer during recursive dissection, but the H.239 GenericMessage hook still calls snprintf on h245_pi->frame_label when a crafted standard OID selects that label path. Exploitation requires local processing of attacker-supplied traffic or capture content in Wireshark or TShark and causes process termination rather than data exposure or code execution.
Summary
What happened
NULL pointer dereference in Wireshark H.245 dissection before 4.6.8 and 4.4.18 allows attackers to crash the process via crafted packet data. The returnedFunction decoder clears the active h245_pi packet-state pointer during recursive dissection, but the H.239 GenericMessage hook still calls snprintf on h245_pi->frame_label when a crafted standard OID selects that label path. Exploitation requires local processing of attacker-supplied traffic or capture content in Wireshark or TShark and causes process termination rather than data exposure or code execution.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-76927
- Published
- Aug 19, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 20, 2026
- Vendor
- Wireshark Foundation
- Product
- Wireshark
- Classifications
- CWE-476, T1204.002
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 19, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 20, 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 <4.4.18
- Affected versionversion=4.6.0 <4.6.8
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.
Public exploit references
- H.245 returnedFunction nested GenericMessage reproducerproof of concept · demonstrated
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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