CVE-2026-0960: Medium Vulnerability in Wireshark

CVE-2026-0960 is a medium severity vulnerability affecting Wireshark versions 4.6.0 to 4.6.2. This vulnerability allows for a denial of service due to an infinite loop in the HTTP3 protocol dissector. The CVSS score is 4.7, indicating a medium level of risk. Organizations using the affected versions should prioritize patching to avoid potential service disruptions.

The vulnerability has been analyzed and is classified under CWE-835. The affected systems include all versions of Wireshark from 4.6.0 to 4.6.2. The publication date for this vulnerability was January 14, 2026, and it is crucial for organizations to be aware of this issue to ensure operational continuity.

Immediate action is required as the potential impact includes significant service interruptions. Organizations should assess their use of the affected versions and implement the necessary patches without delay.

Based on current analysis, there are no known exploits for this vulnerability. However, it is important to stay vigilant and monitor for any developments regarding this issue.

Vulnerability Details

The vulnerability allows for denial of service through an infinite loop within the HTTP3 protocol dissector of Wireshark. The CVSS score of 4.7 indicates a medium severity, with the following details:

Technical Analysis

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in an infinite loop in the HTTP3 protocol dissector. The attack vector is local, meaning that an attacker must have access to the local environment where Wireshark is running. The attack complexity is high, requiring user interaction to trigger the infinite loop.

In terms of impact, this vulnerability affects the availability of the system, as it can cause the application to hang indefinitely when processing specific traffic.

Risk & Impact Analysis

Organizations utilizing Wireshark versions 4.6.0 to 4.6.2 face a medium risk due to the potential for denial of service. The blast radius can be significant, especially if Wireshark is used in critical network monitoring roles. Organizations should consider the urgency of addressing this vulnerability based on the availability impact and the potential disruptions it may cause.

Exploitation Status

Affected Versions

The affected versions of Wireshark include versions from 4.6.0 to 4.6.2. Organizations should ensure they are not operating within this version range to avoid potential denial of service.

Mitigation & Remediation

Organizations should immediately upgrade to Wireshark version 4.6.3 or later, where this vulnerability has been addressed. If an upgrade is not feasible, consider implementing additional monitoring to detect unusual behavior and limit access to trusted users only.

For more detailed guidance on security measures, organizations may consider reviewing resources like the penetration testing services offered by AppSecure, which can help identify vulnerabilities in your systems.

Detection Guidance

Organizations should monitor logs for any anomalies related to the use of Wireshark. Behavioral indicators may include unexpected application hangs or crashes when processing certain network traffic.

AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight

The infinite loop vulnerability in Wireshark reflects a broader trend of denial of service vulnerabilities that can arise in network analysis tools. Security teams should take this as a reminder to implement robust testing and monitoring strategies to identify similar weaknesses proactively.

For further insights on vulnerability management, consider reading about the vulnerability management program and how it can enhance your organization's security posture.

Additionally, organizations should stay informed of the latest trends in network security by reviewing the latest updates in the network security architecture to adapt to evolving threats.