How severe is CVE-2015-8733?

CVE-2015-8733 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2015-8733 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (90th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2015-8733?

CVE-2015-8733 primarily affects Wireshark. In total, 10 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2015-8733?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2015-8733 published?

CVE-2015-8733 was published on 2016-01-04 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2015-8733

CVE-2015-8733 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Wireshark with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-20.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
CVSS v2: 4.3
EPSS exploit prediction: 4% (90th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-20
Affected product: Wireshark
Published: 2016-01-04
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The ngsniffer_process_record function in wiretap/ngsniffer.c in the Sniffer file parser in Wireshark 1.12.x before 1.12.9 and 2.0.x before 2.0.1 does not validate the relationships between record lengths and record header lengths, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read and application crash) via a crafted file.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2015-8733?: The ngsniffer_process_record function in wiretap/ngsniffer.c in the Sniffer file parser in Wireshark 1.12.x before 1.12.9 and 2.0.x before 2.0.1 does not validate the relationships between record lengths and record header lengths, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read and application crash) via a crafted file.
How severe is CVE-2015-8733?: CVE-2015-8733 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2015-8733 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (90th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2015-8733?: CVE-2015-8733 primarily affects Wireshark. In total, 10 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2015-8733?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2015-8733 published?: CVE-2015-8733 was published on 2016-01-04 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (10)

cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.12.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.12.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.12.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.12.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.12.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.12.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.12.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.12.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:1.12.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:wireshark:wireshark:2.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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