CVE-2012-5238

CVE-2012-5238 is a low-severity vulnerability in Wireshark with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 3.3. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Description

epan/dissectors/packet-ppp.c in the PPP dissector in Wireshark 1.8.x before 1.8.3 uses incorrect OUI data structures during the decoding of (1) PPP and (2) LCP data, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (assertion failure and application exit) via a malformed packet.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2012-5238?
epan/dissectors/packet-ppp.c in the PPP dissector in Wireshark 1.8.x before 1.8.3 uses incorrect OUI data structures during the decoding of (1) PPP and (2) LCP data, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (assertion failure and application exit) via a malformed packet.
How severe is CVE-2012-5238?
CVE-2012-5238 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 3.3, rated low severity.
Is CVE-2012-5238 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (56th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2012-5238?
CVE-2012-5238 primarily affects Wireshark. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2012-5238?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2012-5238 published?
CVE-2012-5238 was published on 2012-10-04 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (3)

More vulnerabilities in Wireshark

All CVEs affecting Wireshark →