CVE-2019-25464 in InputMapper
Summary
by MITRE • 03/11/2026
InputMapper 1.6.10 contains a buffer overflow vulnerability in the username field that allows local attackers to crash the application by entering an excessively long string. Attackers can trigger a denial of service by copying a large payload into the username field and double-clicking to process it, causing the application to crash.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/14/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-25464 affects InputMapper version 1.6.10, a software tool designed for customizing input device mappings on Windows systems. This application serves as a utility for gamers and power users who require precise control over their keyboard and mouse configurations, making it a target for exploitation due to its widespread use in gaming environments where users often trust and execute third-party applications without extensive security scrutiny. The flaw manifests within the username field processing mechanism, representing a classic buffer overflow vulnerability that occurs when an application writes more data to a fixed-length buffer than it can accommodate.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the username field handling code. When users enter excessively long strings into the username field, the application fails to properly bounds-check the input before copying it into a predetermined memory buffer. This allows attackers to overflow the allocated buffer space and overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting program execution flow and leading to application instability. The specific trigger involves copying a large payload into the username field and then double-clicking to process the input, which causes the application to crash during the parsing and validation phase. This behavior aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite stack data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as it provides local attackers with a means to disrupt legitimate application usage and potentially gain further foothold within the system. Since InputMapper operates with elevated privileges during installation and configuration processes, local attackers who can execute malicious payloads may exploit this vulnerability to cause persistent disruption of gaming or productivity workflows. The vulnerability also demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves network disruption through resource exhaustion and denial of service attacks. This makes the vulnerability particularly concerning in gaming environments where application stability directly impacts user experience and competitive performance, as attackers could target gaming sessions or system configurations to cause interruptions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-25464 should focus on immediate software updates to version 1.6.11 or later, which contain proper input validation fixes for the username field handling. System administrators should implement application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of untrusted InputMapper configurations and ensure that users cannot modify application settings without proper authorization. Additionally, security monitoring should include detection of unusual input patterns within username fields and implementation of automatic application crash reporting to identify potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider network segmentation to limit local privilege escalation opportunities and ensure that gaming environments do not automatically trust or execute unverified input configurations. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of robust input validation and memory safety practices in applications that handle user-provided data, particularly those operating in interactive environments where users may input arbitrary strings without proper sanitization.