CVE-2005-1279: tcpdump 3.8.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop) via a crafte...

Security readout for executives and security teams

CVE-2005-1279 is a denial-of-service flaw in tcpdump 3.8.3 and earlier. A specially crafted BGP or LDP packet can make tcpdump enter an infinite loop, potentially freezing packet capture and disrupting network monitoring or troubleshooting workflows. Exposure is most likely on systems running old tcpdump packages that capture or inspect BGP or LDP traffic. Servers, routers, monitoring sensors, jump hosts, and incident-response workstations may be relevant if they still use affected tcpdump versions. Treat as a targeted availability risk to monitoring and troubleshooting rather than a broad compromise risk. Prioritize legacy systems and network visibility infrastructure because disruption there can slow incident response. Mitigation focus: Identify tcpdump versions on relevant Linux and Unix systems.; Apply OS vendor tcpdump security updates where available.; Prioritize network monitoring, routing, and packet-capture hosts..

Prepared

Jun 29, 2026, 22:16 UTC (UTC+00:00)

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.