CVE-2019-25588 in BulletProof FTP Server
Summary
by MITRE • 03/22/2026
BulletProof FTP Server 2019.0.0.50 contains a denial of service vulnerability in the DNS Address field that allows local attackers to crash the application by supplying an excessively long string. Attackers can enable the DNS Address option in the Firewall settings and paste a buffer of 700 bytes to trigger a crash when the Test function is invoked.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/27/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-25588 affects BulletProof FTP Server version 2019.0.0.50 and represents a classic buffer overflow condition that manifests as a denial of service attack. This weakness specifically targets the DNS Address field within the server's firewall configuration settings, demonstrating how seemingly benign input validation can create critical system instability. The vulnerability exists in the application's handling of user-supplied data during the testing of firewall configurations, where the system fails to properly validate or limit the length of input provided in the DNS Address field.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate input sanitization and buffer management within the server's network configuration processing module. When attackers enable the DNS Address option in the firewall settings and provide a maliciously crafted string of 700 bytes, the application's internal buffer handling mechanism becomes overwhelmed. This condition triggers a stack overflow or memory corruption scenario that results in the application crashing and terminating its service operations. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires local access to exploit, as the attacker must have the ability to modify the server's firewall configuration settings directly.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can effectively render the FTP server unavailable to legitimate users and potentially provide attackers with a means of system compromise. The denial of service condition affects the server's ability to maintain stable network connections and process legitimate file transfer requests, creating operational downtime that can impact business continuity and data accessibility. Organizations relying on this FTP server for critical operations may experience service interruptions that could affect their customers or internal workflows, particularly in environments where continuous availability is required for business operations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of the affected software version, as the vendor has likely released a security update addressing this specific buffer overflow condition. System administrators should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit local administrative privileges, thereby reducing the attack surface available to potential attackers. Additional defensive measures include implementing input validation at multiple layers of the application architecture, configuring automatic service restart mechanisms, and establishing monitoring protocols to detect unusual application behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks, emphasizing the importance of robust input validation and memory management practices in server applications.