Ethics & Integrity

Trust, Security & Ethics

Wireshark is trusted because it is transparent, open source, and built for legitimate network diagnostics. This page defines responsible capture, what to expect from official builds, and how wire-shark.com relates to the upstream project.

Legal Usage Policy

Policy

Wireshark is a dual-use tool: essential for defense and operations, dangerous when misused for unauthorized surveillance.

Monitor only networks you own or are explicitly authorized to inspect.
Follow workplace acceptable-use policies and data-protection rules (GDPR, HIPAA, and similar) when handling packet contents.
Do not intercept communications you are not a party to without legal authority.
Protect credentials and personal data found in captures; retain traces only as long as policy requires.

When in doubt, obtain written authorization from the network owner before starting a live capture.

Ethical Usage Statement

Guidance

The Wireshark community promotes ethical analysis: fix outages, improve performance, teach protocols, and defend systems.

Use captures to troubleshoot and secure systems—not to spy on users or steal credentials.
Respect access controls; bypassing them without authorization is inconsistent with project values and may be criminal.
Minimize sensitive data before sharing traces outside your team.
Apply display filters and anonymization when exporting for training or third-party review.

Open-Source Transparency

Transparency

Source code is publicly available under GPL v2. Security researchers, vendors, and users audit dissectors and core engine behavior.

Tagged releases with published checksums and reproducible build practices.
Community governance through the Wireshark Foundation (non-profit).
Donations and sponsorships fund development—not feature paywalls.

Verify release checksums · Download official builds

No Malware Clarification

Official Wireshark and Npcap installers from verified release channels are not bundled with viruses, trojans, cryptominers, or spyware. Heuristic antivirus alerts usually relate to packet-capture drivers, not malicious intent.

Protect yourself by verifying SHA256 hashes, checking code signatures, and avoiding unofficial repacks from unknown publishers.

Checksum verification Antivirus guide

User Responsibility Disclaimer

Notice

Wireshark is provided as-is without warranty under the GNU GPL. Developers and the Wireshark Foundation are not liable for damages arising from use or misuse of the software.

You are solely responsible for how you deploy captures, store trace files, and comply with law.

Independent resource. wire-shark.com provides informational downloads and guides about Wireshark. It is not the official Wireshark project website and does not operate upstream build infrastructure. Wireshark is a registered trademark of Gerald Combs.

Next steps

Download with confidence

Verify checksums, install from official builds, and capture responsibly.

Download Wireshark Read FAQ