CVE-2019-5482 in Hyperion Essbase
Summary
by MITRE
Heap buffer overflow in the TFTP protocol handler in cURL 7.19.4 to 7.65.3.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/16/2026
The heap buffer overflow vulnerability in cURL's TFTP protocol handler represents a critical security flaw that affects versions between 7.19.4 and 7.65.3. This vulnerability resides within the handling of Trivial File Transfer Protocol requests, which cURL uses for file transfers over UDP. The issue manifests when processing malformed TFTP packets that exceed expected buffer boundaries during memory allocation and data copying operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the TFTP client implementation. When cURL receives a TFTP packet that contains oversized data segments or malformed packet structures, the internal buffer allocation logic fails to properly validate the incoming data size before copying it into heap-allocated memory regions. This allows attackers to craft malicious TFTP responses that trigger memory corruption, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or denial of service conditions. The vulnerability specifically maps to CWE-121 Heap-based Buffer Overflow, which occurs when a program writes data past the end of a heap-allocated buffer, corrupting adjacent memory locations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it presents significant exploitation opportunities for attackers. An attacker who can influence TFTP traffic or redirect TFTP requests to a malicious server can potentially execute code on systems running vulnerable cURL versions. This vulnerability affects any application or system that relies on cURL's TFTP functionality, including network management tools, embedded systems, and server applications that may process TFTP requests as part of their normal operations. The vulnerability's exploitation potential aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreter execution, as successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
Systems utilizing cURL for TFTP operations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including updating to cURL version 7.65.4 or later, which contains the patched buffer handling logic. Network administrators should also consider implementing firewall rules to restrict TFTP traffic where possible, as TFTP operates on UDP port 69 and is commonly used in network boot environments. Additionally, monitoring for unusual TFTP traffic patterns and implementing input validation controls at network boundaries can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management in network protocol implementations and highlights the need for regular security updates across all network utilities and libraries that handle external data inputs. Organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify systems using vulnerable cURL versions and implement comprehensive patch management procedures to address this and similar buffer overflow vulnerabilities.