Description
Untrusted search path vulnerability in Wireshark 1.4.x before 1.4.9 and 1.6.x before 1.6.2 allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse Lua script in an unspecified directory.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | wireshark | 1.6.2-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | wireshark | 1.6.2-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | wireshark | 1.6.2-1 | — |
| Debian 6.0 | wireshark | 1.2.11-6+squeeze4 | DSA-2324-1 |
| Debian 5.0 | wireshark | 1.0.2-3+lenny15 | DSA-2324-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | wireshark | 2.2.2-1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2024:10199-1 |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Third-party code, not reviewed by us. Public PoCs are sometimes fake or contain malware. Read the code first and run it only in an isolated lab, against systems you are authorised to test.
Metasploit 1 module
-
Wireshark console.lua Pre-Loading Script Execution
exploit/windows/misc/wireshark_lua
Exploit-DB 1
- Wireshark - console.lua pre-loading (Metasploit) EDB-18125 · remote · Nov 19, 2011 · verified
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 2
- DSA-2324-1 wireshark - programming error Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:10199-1 wireshark-2.2.2-1.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
References
- DSA-2324 vendor-advisory
- [oss-security] 20110914 Re: CVE Request: Multiple issues fixed in wireshark 1.6.2 mailing-list
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=737784
- 75347 vdb-entry
- MDVSA-2011:138 vendor-advisory
- http://www.wireshark.org/security/wnpa-sec-2011-15.html
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:15059 vdb-entry signature
- [oss-security] 20110913 CVE Request: Multiple issues fixed in wireshark 1.6.2 mailing-list
- https://bugs.wireshark.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=6136