CVE-2018-25369 in Visual Ping
Summary
by MITRE • 05/26/2026
Visual Ping 0.8.0.0 contains a buffer overflow vulnerability in input field handling that allows local attackers to crash the application by supplying oversized data. Attackers can inject malicious payloads exceeding 4108 bytes into the Host, Time Out, Packet Size, Pause, or Loops fields to trigger a denial of service condition.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2026
Visual Ping version 0.8.0.0 suffers from a critical buffer overflow vulnerability that stems from inadequate input validation within its network monitoring functionality. This flaw exists in the application's handling of user-supplied data in various input fields including Host, Time Out, Packet Size, Pause, and Loops parameters. The vulnerability manifests when attackers supply malicious input exceeding 4108 bytes, which exceeds the allocated buffer space and causes the application to crash. The root cause of this issue aligns with common software security weaknesses classified under CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. This type of vulnerability represents a fundamental flaw in the application's memory management practices and input sanitization mechanisms.
The operational impact of this buffer overflow vulnerability extends beyond simple application instability, creating significant security risks for systems running this software. Local attackers can exploit this condition to execute denial of service attacks against the Visual Ping application, effectively rendering it unusable for legitimate network monitoring activities. When the application crashes, it disrupts network diagnostic capabilities and can potentially affect network administrators who rely on this tool for troubleshooting connectivity issues. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill and can be accomplished through simple input manipulation, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network monitoring tools are frequently used. This weakness creates an attack surface that can be leveraged by malicious actors to disrupt network operations and potentially escalate to more sophisticated attacks if the application's crash conditions can be manipulated to execute arbitrary code.
The security implications of this vulnerability are further amplified by the fact that it operates at the local privilege level, meaning that any user with access to the application can potentially exploit it. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the ATT&CK framework under the T1499.004 technique, which covers network denial of service attacks. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it involves standard network monitoring parameters that administrators regularly interact with, making the exploitation less suspicious and more difficult to detect. The 4108 byte threshold represents a critical boundary that when exceeded causes the application to behave unpredictably, potentially allowing for more advanced exploitation techniques if the buffer overflow can be carefully crafted to overwrite specific memory regions. Organizations using Visual Ping 0.8.0.0 should immediately implement mitigations including input length validation, application sandboxing, and regular updates to address this vulnerability.
Mitigation strategies for this buffer overflow vulnerability should include immediate patching of the Visual Ping application to version 0.8.0.1 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for input validation. System administrators should implement input length restrictions at the application level to prevent oversized data from being processed, ensuring that all user inputs are validated against predetermined maximum lengths. The implementation of address space layout randomization and stack canaries can provide additional protection against exploitation attempts, though these measures are secondary to proper input validation. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit local user access to the application, reducing the attack surface. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other network monitoring tools. Organizations should also establish incident response procedures for handling application crashes and monitor system logs for signs of exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of robust input validation and memory safety practices in network security applications, particularly those handling user-supplied data in critical system functions.