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CVE-2026-76883 Wireshark Foundation CVE debrief

The Wireshark Catapult DCT2000 file parser vulnerability (CVE-2026-76883) is a denial of service issue affecting versions 4.4.0 to 4.4.18 and 4.6.0 to 4.6.7. This vulnerability can cause the parser to crash when processing certain files. Network administrators, security teams, and users of affected Wireshark versions should be aware of this potential threat and take necessary precautions. The Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) score for this vulnerability is 4.7, indicating a medium severity level. The CVE record was published on 2026-08-19T23:16:19.190Z and has not been modified since then.

Vendor
Wireshark Foundation
Product
Wireshark
CVSS
MEDIUM 4.7
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2026-08-19
Original CVE updated
2026-08-31
Advisory published
2026-08-19
Advisory updated
2026-08-31

Who should care

Network administrators, security teams, and users of Wireshark versions 4.4.0 to 4.4.18 and 4.6.0 to 4.6.7 should be aware of this potential denial of service vulnerability and take necessary precautions. This includes reviewing and updating incident response plans, verifying affected Wireshark installations, and applying vendor patches or updates as needed. Additionally, users should monitor for potential exploitation attempts and implement compensating controls for exposed systems while remediation is scheduled and verified. Vulnerability management and security teams should prioritize this issue due to its potential impact on network security and availability.

Technical summary

The Wireshark Catapult DCT2000 file parser crashes when processing certain files, allowing for a denial of service attack. This vulnerability affects Wireshark versions 4.4.0 to 4.4.18 and 4.6.0 to 4.6.7, with a CVSS score of 4.7. The vulnerability is caused by improper handling of certain file inputs, leading to a crash in the parser. Users of affected Wireshark versions should exercise caution when processing files from untrusted sources.

Defensive priority

Medium-priority defensive actions recommended due to potential denial of service vulnerability in Wireshark Catapult DCT2000 file parser.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Inventory and verify affected Wireshark installations
  • Apply vendor patches or updates
  • Monitor for potential exploitation attempts
  • Implement compensating controls
  • Review and update incident response plans

Evidence notes

Evidence from official CVE Program record and NIST NVD detail page indicates potential denial of service vulnerability in Wireshark Catapult DCT2000 file parser, affecting versions 4.4.0 to 4.4.18 and 4.6.0 to 4.6.7.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2026-76883 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-76883

    CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.

  • CVE-2026-76883 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-76883

    NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.

Supplemental 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.