CVE-2026-6528 Wireshark Foundation CVE debrief

Who should care

Network administrators and security teams responsible for managing Wireshark installations should be aware of this vulnerability and take steps to patch their installations. They should prioritize patching Wireshark installations to prevent potential denial of service attacks. Affected operators, platforms, and security teams should review Wireshark version and patch level, and monitor Wireshark logs for potential denial of service attacks.

Why it matters

CVE-2026-6528 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Wireshark that can be exploited for denial of service attacks. Network administrators and security teams should prioritize patching Wireshark installations to prevent potential attacks.

• Potential denial of service attacks against Wireshark installations
• Need to verify Wireshark version and patch level
• Possible impact on network availability and stability

Technical summary

The TLS protocol dissector in Wireshark 4.6.0 to 4.6.4 contains an infinite loop vulnerability. This vulnerability can be exploited to cause a denial of service attack. The vulnerability affects Wireshark installations and can be mitigated by patching to version 4.6.5 or later. Network administrators and security teams should prioritize patching Wireshark installations to prevent potential denial of service attacks. The vulnerability is caused by an infinite loop in the TLS protocol dissector, which can be exploited to cause a denial of service attack.

Defensive priority

Network administrators and security teams should prioritize patching Wireshark installations to prevent potential denial of service attacks.

Recommended defensive actions

• Patch Wireshark installations to version 4.6.5 or later
• Review network configurations to ensure Wireshark is not exposed to untrusted networks
• Monitor Wireshark logs for potential denial of service attacks
• Verify Wireshark version and patch level
• Review compensating controls for exposed systems while remediation is scheduled and verified
• Track exceptions, retest remediated assets, and close the item only after evidence is documented
• Confirm whether affected product deployments exist in managed environments and assign an owner for follow-up

Evidence notes

The vulnerability is described in the CVE record and NVD vulnerability detail page. The source references include exploit, issue tracking, and vendor advisory links. Evidence limits are based on CVE and NVD information. Defenders should verify Wireshark version and patch level, review network configurations, and monitor Wireshark logs for potential denial of service attacks.

Sources and references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.