CVE-2025-5601: 
Wireshark vulnerability analysis and mitigation

A critical security vulnerability (CVE-2025-5601) was disclosed on June 4, 2025, affecting Wireshark versions 4.4.0 to 4.4.6 and 4.2.0 to 4.2.12. The vulnerability, identified as 'Dissection engine crash' (wnpa-sec-2025-02), stems from a bug in the column utility module used by Wireshark's dissectors. The vulnerability has been assigned a high severity rating with a CVSS score of 7.8 and is classified under CWE-120 (Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input) (Wiz Report, Wireshark Advisory).

The vulnerability is rooted in how Wireshark handles column data during packet dissection, specifically involving a buffer copy operation without proper input size checking. This unsafe operation can lead to memory corruption and application crashes during both live packet capture and analysis of saved packet trace files. The issue can also be triggered by simply clicking on a column header in the packet list, causing a segmentation fault in affected versions (Wiz Report, NVD).

The vulnerability allows attackers to cause denial of service (DoS) conditions through two primary methods: by injecting malformed packets onto a network being monitored by Wireshark, or by convincing users to open specially crafted capture files. This could have serious implications for organizations relying on Wireshark for real-time network security monitoring and incident response (Cybersecurity News, Wireshark Advisory).

Users are strongly advised to upgrade to Wireshark versions 4.4.7, 4.2.13, or later to address this vulnerability. For environments where immediate upgrades are not feasible, users should avoid opening untrusted packet capture files and restrict network access to trusted sources only. Organizations should also verify the sources of capture files before opening them in Wireshark and implement network segmentation to reduce exposure (Wireshark Advisory, Wiz Report).

The security community has responded with heightened concern due to Wireshark's widespread use in enterprise environments. The vulnerability affects millions of users worldwide who rely on Wireshark for network troubleshooting and analysis. This latest vulnerability continues a pattern of security issues affecting Wireshark's dissector modules, underscoring the ongoing challenges in securing complex network analysis tools (Cybersecurity News).