Wireshark 4.6.4 has been released with important security and stability fixes, addressing multiple denial-of-service (DoS) risks and crash vulnerabilities in protocol dissectors and companion tools.
For security analysts, SOC teams, network engineers, and developers, this is more than a routine update. Because Wireshark often processes untrusted capture files and live network traffic, vulnerabilities in its dissectors can be exploited to crash analysis environments or disrupt incident response workflows.
Maintained by the Wireshark Foundation, Wireshark remains one of the most widely used open-source network protocol analyzers globally. The 4.6.4 release reinforces the importance of securing even trusted security tools.
In this article, we break down:
- The security vulnerabilities patched in Wireshark 4.6.4
- CVE details and technical impact
- Operational bug fixes affecting enterprise workflows
- Risk implications for SOC environments
- Best practices for secure packet analysis
What Is Wireshark and Why It Matters
Wireshark is a packet analysis tool used to:
- Capture and inspect network traffic in real time
- Analyze saved packet capture (PCAP/PCAPNG) files
- Troubleshoot application and protocol issues
- Investigate security incidents
It is heavily used in:
- Incident response
- Threat hunting
- Network troubleshooting
- Malware traffic analysis
- Telecom and IoT protocol debugging
Because Wireshark parses complex protocol data structures, flaws in dissectors can introduce exploitable weaknesses.
Security Fixes in Wireshark 4.6.4
The 4.6.4 update addresses three newly disclosed vulnerabilities affecting protocol dissectors.
CVE-2026-3201 – USB HID Dissector Memory Exhaustion
Affected Component: USB HID dissector
Impact: Denial of Service (DoS) via memory exhaustion
Improperly controlled sequential memory allocation could allow crafted USB HID traffic or malicious capture files to trigger excessive memory consumption.
Risk Scenario
An attacker could:
- Share a malicious PCAP file.
- Convince an analyst to open it.
- Trigger Wireshark memory exhaustion.
- Crash the application.
This poses a risk in environments where analysts routinely inspect third-party traffic captures.
CVE-2026-3202 – NTS-KE NULL Pointer Dereference
Affected Component: NTS-KE dissector
Impact: Application crash via NULL pointer dereference
Malformed Network Time Security Key Establishment (NTS-KE) traffic could cause Wireshark to crash during packet dissection.
While not a remote code execution flaw, this vulnerability can interrupt forensic analysis and capture sessions.
RF4CE Profile Dissector Crash
Another vulnerability impacts the RF4CE Profile dissector and may cause Wireshark to crash when parsing specially crafted packets.
This primarily affects environments analyzing:
- Zigbee-related protocols
- Embedded device traffic
- IoT communications
Why DoS Vulnerabilities in Analysis Tools Matter
It’s easy to underestimate the severity of DoS issues in desktop tools.
However, in security operations:
- Analysts often open untrusted PCAP files.
- Adversaries may intentionally craft crash-triggering traffic.
- Interrupted analysis can delay containment and remediation.
Key Insight:
Security tools must be hardened just like production systems.
MITRE ATT&CK perspective:
- T1562 – Impair Defenses
Attackers may attempt to disrupt detection and analysis tools.
Stability & Operational Improvements
Beyond CVEs, Wireshark 4.6.4 addresses several reliability issues affecting enterprise workflows.
Npcap Startup Fix (Windows)
Previously, Wireshark failed to start when Npcap was configured to restrict driver access to administrators only.
This issue has been resolved, restoring capture functionality on hardened Windows systems.
TShark & editcap Crash Fixes
Crashes and segmentation faults in:
- TShark
- editcap
when working with BLF output have been corrected.
This is particularly important for:
- Automated analysis pipelines
- SIEM ingestion workflows
- Scripting-based traffic processing
Performance & Decoding Improvements
The update resolves:
- Quadratic slowdowns in Expert Info
- IKEv2 EMERGENCY_CALL_NUMBERS decoding failures
- TDS dissector desynchronization
- Improved BLF, pcapng, and TTL file handling
These changes improve reliability when processing:
- Telecom traces
- Enterprise VPN traffic
- Database protocol captures
- High-volume network dumps
Protocol Support Updates
While no new protocol families were introduced, existing support was enhanced for:
- BGP
- IEEE 802.11
- IPv6
- ISAKMP
- MySQL
- NAS-5GS
- NTS-KE
- Socks
- USB HID
- Zigbee-related protocols
Improved robustness against malformed or fuzzed input reduces crash risks.
Risk Assessment for Enterprises
| Risk Category | Impact |
|---|---|
| SOC Disruption | Crashes delay investigations |
| Automated Pipeline Failure | Scripted tools break mid-analysis |
| Data Loss | Unsaved capture work lost |
| Targeted Tool Disruption | Adversaries impair defensive workflows |
Although these are not remote code execution vulnerabilities, their operational impact can be significant.
Best Practices for Secure Packet Analysis
1. Always Update Wireshark Promptly
Ensure all analyst workstations run Wireshark 4.6.4 or the latest stable release.
2. Treat PCAP Files as Untrusted Input
- Open third-party capture files in isolated environments.
- Consider sandboxing for unknown traffic samples.
- Restrict analysis privileges where possible.
3. Harden Analyst Workstations
- Enforce least privilege.
- Restrict driver-level capture access.
- Monitor unusual resource spikes during packet analysis.
4. Secure Automated Analysis Pipelines
If using:
- TShark
- editcap
- Scripted packet workflows
Ensure updated versions are deployed to avoid segmentation faults or pipeline crashes.
5. Align with Secure Development & Operations Standards
Follow guidance aligned with:
- NIST Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF)
- CIS Workstation Hardening Benchmarks
- Zero Trust principles for administrative tooling
FAQs
1. Is Wireshark 4.6.4 a critical security update?
It addresses multiple DoS and crash vulnerabilities and is recommended for all users handling untrusted traffic.
2. Can attackers exploit these vulnerabilities remotely?
Exploitation typically requires opening malicious capture files or processing crafted traffic.
3. Does this update fix remote code execution flaws?
No RCE issues were disclosed in this release.
4. Who should prioritize upgrading?
SOC analysts, incident responders, network engineers, and developers analyzing external traffic.
5. Are Linux distributions affected?
Yes, users should update via their OS package manager or install the latest stable release.
Conclusion
The Wireshark 4.6.4 release reinforces a crucial cybersecurity principle:
Security tools themselves must be secured and updated.
While the patched vulnerabilities primarily involve denial-of-service and crash risks, their impact on SOC operations and automated analysis workflows can be substantial.
Organizations should:
- Upgrade immediately
- Audit analyst toolchains
- Treat capture files as untrusted inputs
- Harden analysis environments
In cybersecurity, even the tools used to defend networks can become attack surfaces.
