CVE-2020-17498

In Wireshark 3.2.0 to 3.2.5, the Kafka protocol dissector could crash. This was addressed in epan...

6.5 MediumFix available

In Wireshark 3.2.0 to 3.2.5, the Kafka protocol dissector could crash. This was addressed in epan/dissectors/packet-kafka.c by avoiding a double free during LZ4 decompression.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector: Network
Complexity: Low
Privileges needed: None
User interaction: Required

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality: None
Integrity: None
Availability: High

Exploit likelihood

2.58%Up 0.5 points since Apr 14, 2021

What each source reports

NVD Score used 6.5

In Wireshark 3.2.0 to 3.2.5, the Kafka protocol dissector could crash. This was addressed in epan/dissectors/packet-kafka.c by avoiding a double free during LZ4 decompression.

Record: CVE-2020-17498
CVSS 3.1: 6.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CVSS 2.0: 4.3 MediumAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
Weakness: CWE-415
Updated: 2026-11-02

CVE List No score

In Wireshark 3.2.0 to 3.2.5, the Kafka protocol dissector could crash. This was addressed in epan/dissectors/packet-kafka.c by avoiding a double free during LZ4 decompression.

Record: CVE-2020-17498
Updated: 2026-11-02

EUVDEUVD-2020-9446 No score

In Wireshark 3.2.0 to 3.2.5, the Kafka protocol dissector could crash. This was addressed in epan/dissectors/packet-kafka.c by avoiding a double free during LZ4 decompression.

Record: EUVD-2020-9446
Updated: 2026-11-03

GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-948p-p2c6-64q4 6.5

In Wireshark 3.2.0 to 3.2.5, the Kafka protocol dissector could crash. This was addressed in epan...

In Wireshark 3.2.0 to 3.2.5, the Kafka protocol dissector could crash. This was addressed in epan/dissectors/packet-kafka.c by avoiding a double free during LZ4 decompression.

Record: GHSA-948p-p2c6-64q4
CVSS 3.1: 6.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness: CWE-415
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVALPINE-CVE-2020-17498 6.5

In Wireshark 3.2.0 to 3.2.5, the Kafka protocol dissector could crash. This was addressed in epan/dissectors/packet-kafka.c by avoiding a double free during LZ4 decompression.

Record: ALPINE-CVE-2020-17498
CVSS 3.1: 6.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-03

OSV 6.5

In Wireshark 3.2.0 to 3.2.5, the Kafka protocol dissector could crash. This was addressed in epan/dissectors/packet-kafka.c by avoiding a double free during LZ4 decompression.

Record: CVE-2020-17498
CVSS 3.1: 6.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

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OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2020-17498 6.5

In Wireshark 3.2.0 to 3.2.5, the Kafka protocol dissector could crash. This was addressed in epan/dissectors/packet-kafka.c by avoiding a double free during LZ4 decompression.

Record: DEBIAN-CVE-2020-17498
CVSS 3.1: 6.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2020-17498 6.5

In Wireshark 3.2.0 to 3.2.5, the Kafka protocol dissector could crash. This was addressed in epan/dissectors/packet-kafka.c by avoiding a double free during LZ4 decompression.

Record: UBUNTU-CVE-2020-17498
CVSS 3.1: 6.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVopenSUSE-SU-2020:1878-1 No score

Security update for wireshark

This update for wireshark fixes the following issues:

Update to wireshark 3.2.7:
- CVE-2020-25863: MIME Multipart dissector crash (bsc#1176908)
- CVE-2020-25862: TCP dissector crash (bsc#1176909)
- CVE-2020-25866: BLIP dissector crash (bsc#1176910)
- CVE-2020-17498: Kafka dissector crash (bsc#1175204)

This update was imported from the SUSE:SLE-15:Update update project.

Record: openSUSE-SU-2020:1878-1
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVopenSUSE-SU-2020:1882-1 No score

Security update for wireshark

This update for wireshark fixes the following issues:

Update to wireshark 3.2.7:
- CVE-2020-25863: MIME Multipart dissector crash (bsc#1176908)
- CVE-2020-25862: TCP dissector crash (bsc#1176909)
- CVE-2020-25866: BLIP dissector crash (bsc#1176910)
- CVE-2020-17498: Kafka dissector crash (bsc#1175204)

This update was imported from the SUSE:SLE-15:Update update project.

Record: openSUSE-SU-2020:1882-1
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVopenSUSE-SU-2024:11513-1 No score

libwireshark14-3.4.8-1.2 on GA media

These are all security issues fixed in the libwireshark14-3.4.8-1.2 package on the GA media of openSUSE Tumbleweed.

Record: openSUSE-SU-2024:11513-1
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVSUSE-SU-2020:3166-1 No score

Security update for wireshark

This update for wireshark fixes the following issues:

Update to wireshark 3.2.7:
- CVE-2020-25863: MIME Multipart dissector crash (bsc#1176908)
- CVE-2020-25862: TCP dissector crash (bsc#1176909)
- CVE-2020-25866: BLIP dissector crash (bsc#1176910)
- CVE-2020-17498: Kafka dissector crash (bsc#1175204)

Record: SUSE-SU-2020:3166-1
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVUSN-6262-1 No score

wireshark vulnerabilities

It was discovered that Wireshark did not properly handle certain NFS packages when certain configuration options were enabled. An attacker could possibly use this issue to cause Wireshark to crash, resulting in a denial of service. (CVE-2020-13164)

It was discovered that Wireshark did not properly handle certain GVCP packages. An attacker could possibly use this issue to cause Wireshark to crash, resulting in a denial of service. This issue only affected Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. (CVE-2020-15466)

It was discovered that Wireshark did not properly handle certain Kafka packages. An attacker could possibly use this issue to cause Wireshark to crash, resulting in a denial of service. This issue only affected Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. (CVE-2020-17498)

It was discovered that Wireshark did not properly handle certain TCP packages containing an invalid 0xFFFF checksum. An attacker could possibly use this issue to cause Wireshark to crash, resulting in a denial of service. (CVE-2020-25862)

It was discovered that Wireshark did not properly handle certain MIME packages containing invalid parts. An attacker could possibly use this issue to cause Wireshark to crash, resulting in a denial of service. (CVE-2020-25863)

Record: USN-6262-1
Updated: 2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
Package	Affected	Fixed
`wireshark` Alpine:v3.12	3.2.0 up to 3.2.6-r0	3.2.6-r0
`wireshark` Alpine:v3.13	3.2.0 up to 3.2.6-r0	3.2.6-r0
`wireshark` Alpine:v3.14	3.2.0 up to 3.2.6-r0	3.2.6-r0
`wireshark` Alpine:v3.15	3.2.0 up to 3.2.6-r0	3.2.6-r0
`wireshark` Alpine:v3.16	3.2.0 up to 3.2.6-r0	3.2.6-r0
`wireshark` Alpine:v3.17	3.2.0 up to 3.2.6-r0	3.2.6-r0
`wireshark` Alpine:v3.18	3.2.0 up to 3.2.6-r0	3.2.6-r0
`wireshark` Alpine:v3.19	3.2.0 up to 3.2.6-r0	3.2.6-r0
`wireshark` Alpine:v3.20	3.2.0 up to 3.2.6-r0	3.2.6-r0
`wireshark` Alpine:v3.21	3.2.0 up to 3.2.6-r0	3.2.6-r0

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Affected packages
Package	Affected	Fixed
`wireshark` Alpine:v3.22	3.2.0 up to 3.2.6-r0	3.2.6-r0
`wireshark` Alpine:v3.23	3.2.0 up to 3.2.6-r0	3.2.6-r0
`wireshark` Alpine:v3.24	3.2.0 up to 3.2.6-r0	3.2.6-r0
`wireshark` Debian:12	before 3.2.6-1	3.2.6-1
`wireshark` Debian:13	before 3.2.6-1	3.2.6-1
`wireshark` Debian:14	before 3.2.6-1	3.2.6-1
`wireshark` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP1 From an advisory covering 4 CVEs	before 3.2.7-3.41.1	3.2.7-3.41.1
`wireshark` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP2 From an advisory covering 4 CVEs	before 3.2.7-3.41.1	3.2.7-3.41.1
`wireshark` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP1 From an advisory covering 4 CVEs	before 3.2.7-3.41.1	3.2.7-3.41.1
`wireshark` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP2 From an advisory covering 4 CVEs	before 3.2.7-3.41.1	3.2.7-3.41.1
`wireshark` Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS	before 3.2.3-1ubuntu0.1~esm1, plus listed versions 3.0.5-13.0.7-13.2.1-13.2.2-13.2.3-1	3.2.3-1ubuntu0.1~esm1
`wireshark` Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS From an advisory covering 5 CVEs	before 2.6.10-1~ubuntu14.04.0~esm2, plus listed versions 1.10.2-11.10.3-11.10.5-1ubuntu11.10.5-21.10.6-1 Show 7 moreShow less 1.12.1+g01b65bf-4+deb8u11ubuntu0.14.04.12.6.3-1~ubuntu14.04.12.6.4-2~ubuntu14.04.12.6.5-1~ubuntu14.04.12.6.6-1~ubuntu14.04.02.6.8-1~ubuntu14.04.0~esm12.6.10-1~ubuntu14.04.0~esm1	2.6.10-1~ubuntu14.04.0~esm2
`wireshark` Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS From an advisory covering 5 CVEs	before 2.6.10-1~ubuntu16.04.0+esm1, plus listed versions 1.12.7+g7fc8978-11.12.8+g5b6e543-22.0.1+g59ea380-3build12.0.2+ga16e22e-12.2.6+g32dac6a-2ubuntu0.16.04 Show 6 moreShow less 2.6.3-1~ubuntu16.04.12.6.4-2~ubuntu16.04.02.6.5-1~ubuntu16.04.02.6.6-1~ubuntu16.04.02.6.8-1~ubuntu16.04.02.6.10-1~ubuntu16.04.0	2.6.10-1~ubuntu16.04.0+esm1
`wireshark` Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS From an advisory covering 5 CVEs	before 2.6.10-1~ubuntu18.04.0+esm1, plus listed versions 2.4.2-12.4.3-12.4.4-12.4.5-12.6.3-1~ubuntu18.04.1 Show 5 moreShow less 2.6.4-2~ubuntu18.04.02.6.5-1~ubuntu18.04.02.6.6-1~ubuntu18.04.02.6.8-1~ubuntu18.04.02.6.10-1~ubuntu18.04.0	2.6.10-1~ubuntu18.04.0+esm1
`wireshark` Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS From an advisory covering 5 CVEs	before 3.2.3-1ubuntu0.1~esm1, plus listed versions 3.0.5-13.0.7-13.2.1-13.2.2-13.2.3-1	3.2.3-1ubuntu0.1~esm1
`wireshark` openSUSE:Leap 15.1 From an advisory covering 4 CVEs	before 3.2.7-lp151.2.15.1	3.2.7-lp151.2.15.1
`wireshark` openSUSE:Leap 15.2 From an advisory covering 4 CVEs	before 3.2.7-lp152.2.6.1	3.2.7-lp152.2.6.1
`wireshark` openSUSE:Tumbleweed From an advisory covering 163 CVEs	before 3.4.8-1.2	3.4.8-1.2

History

History
Recorded	Changed	Sources
Nov 6, 2026	affected, facts
Nov 3, 2026	affected, aliases, references	OSV
Nov 3, 2026	aliases	EUVD
Nov 2, 2026	first indexed	CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2020-17498 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.5) in Wireshark, published August 13, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 2.58%, the 85th percentile. Fixed in wireshark 3.2.6-r0.

References

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