CVE-2017-13688: The OLSR parser in tcpdump before 4.9.2 has a buffer over-read in print-olsr.c:olsr_print().

Security readout for executives and security teams

tcpdump versions before 4.9.2 can read past the end of memory while parsing OLSR network data. That can crash packet analysis or potentially expose sensitive memory when vulnerable tcpdump processes hostile traffic or capture files. Treat this as urgent on systems that inspect untrusted network data. Likely exposure is systems running tcpdump before 4.9.2, especially capture, monitoring, troubleshooting, or forensic hosts processing live traffic or packet captures from untrusted networks. Distribution-packaged tcpdump should be checked against Gentoo, Debian, Apple, and Red Hat advisories where applicable. Prioritize remediation on network operations and security monitoring systems. The vulnerable component often runs with sensitive network visibility, and the CVSS score is critical, but provided evidence does not confirm active exploitation. Mitigation focus: Upgrade tcpdump to 4.9.2 or a vendor-patched package.; Apply relevant Gentoo, Debian, Apple, or Red Hat advisories where applicable.; Avoid processing untrusted packet captures with vulnerable tcpdump until patched..

Prepared

May 22, 2026, 17:45 UTC (UTC+00:00)

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