CVE-2019-25478 in GetGo Download Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 03/11/2026
GetGo Download Manager 6.2.2.3300 contains a buffer overflow vulnerability that allows remote attackers to cause denial of service by sending HTTP responses with excessively long headers. Attackers can craft malicious HTTP responses with oversized header values to crash the application and make it unavailable.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/14/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-25478 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within GetGo Download Manager version 6.2.2.3300 that exposes the application to remote denial of service attacks. This weakness stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the HTTP response processing component of the download manager, where the application fails to properly handle excessively long HTTP headers that exceed predefined buffer limits. The vulnerability manifests when the software attempts to parse and store HTTP response headers without implementing proper bounds checking or length validation, creating an exploitable condition that can be triggered through network-based attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient space allocation occurs for data being copied into memory buffers. In the context of GetGo Download Manager, the application's HTTP parser does not enforce strict limits on header field values, allowing malicious actors to craft HTTP responses containing oversized header content that overflows the allocated buffer space. This overflow typically results in memory corruption that causes the application to terminate unexpectedly, leading to a denial of service condition that prevents legitimate users from accessing download functionality. The vulnerability specifically targets the application's HTTP handling routines where header values are processed and stored in fixed-size memory buffers without proper boundary validation.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to users who rely on GetGo Download Manager for their downloading needs, as attackers can remotely disrupt service availability without requiring authentication or elevated privileges. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be executed through standard web traffic without any specialized tools or knowledge of the target system. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially affect user productivity and system availability, especially in environments where download managers are critical components of workflow automation. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that malicious actors can target users from anywhere on the internet, making it particularly concerning for organizations that depend on reliable download capabilities.
Security mitigations for CVE-2019-25478 should focus on implementing proper input validation and buffer management practices within the HTTP parsing component of the application. Organizations should prioritize updating to the latest version of GetGo Download Manager where the buffer overflow has been addressed through proper bounds checking and memory management. Network-level defenses such as intrusion detection systems and web application firewalls can provide additional protection by monitoring for suspicious HTTP header patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks, and organizations should consider implementing defensive measures that limit the impact of such attacks through proper application hardening and input validation. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar buffer overflow vulnerabilities in other applications and network services that may be susceptible to similar exploitation techniques.