Wireshark 4.6.6 Patches One Vulnerability and 11 Bugs, Updates Npcap
Wireshark 4.6.6 fixes one security vulnerability and 11 bugs, and updates Npcap to version 1.88 for Windows users.
The Wireshark development team has released version 4.6.6 of the popular network protocol analyzer, addressing one security vulnerability and 11 bugs. The update, announced on May 24, 2026, also includes an update to Npcap 1.88 for Windows users, the packet capture library that Wireshark relies on for network traffic interception.
The single security vulnerability patched in this release has not been publicly detailed by the Wireshark team, but users are strongly advised to upgrade to mitigate potential exploitation. The 11 bug fixes cover a range of stability and functionality improvements across various protocol dissectors, ensuring more reliable packet analysis for network administrators and security professionals.
For Windows users, the bundled Npcap update to version 1.88 brings its own set of improvements and bug fixes. Npcap is the standard packet capture driver for Windows, and keeping it up to date is critical for maintaining compatibility with modern network adapters and avoiding crashes during long capture sessions.
Wireshark is widely used across the cybersecurity industry for network troubleshooting, protocol analysis, and incident response. Regular updates like 4.6.6 are essential for maintaining the tool's reliability and security, especially given its role in examining potentially malicious traffic.
Users can download the latest version from the official Wireshark website or through their package manager. The update is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms. As with all security software, administrators should prioritize applying this update to ensure their network analysis tools remain secure and functional.
The Cyber Security News article provides additional technical detail on the two fuzzer-discovered vulnerabilities: the ROHC dissector crash (wnpa-sec-2026-51, Issue 21243) and a MACsec dissector global-buffer-overflow (Issue 21235). It also highlights that the Windows 10 v1809 incompatibility (Issue 21237) and the bloated executable size (Issue 21233) have been resolved, and notes that Npcap has been updated to version 1.88.