CVE-2020-37190 in Firefox Password Recovery
Summary
by MITRE • 02/11/2026
Top Password Firefox Password Recovery 2.8 contains a denial of service vulnerability that allows attackers to crash the application by overflowing input fields. Attackers can trigger the vulnerability by inserting 5000 characters into the User Name or Registration Code input fields.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/11/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-37190 resides within Top Password Firefox Password Recovery version 2.8, a tool designed for password recovery operations within Firefox browser environments. This particular flaw represents a classic buffer overflow condition that manifests when the application fails to properly validate input lengths in critical user interface elements. The vulnerability specifically targets the User Name and Registration Code input fields, which are fundamental components of the application's authentication and licensing mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation procedures within the application's codebase. When attackers provide 5000 characters of input data into either the User Name or Registration Code fields, the system's memory allocation mechanisms become overwhelmed, leading to application instability and eventual crash conditions. This behavior aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a direct violation of secure coding practices that mandate proper input sanitization and length validation. The flaw operates at the application layer where user-supplied data is processed without adequate boundary checking, creating an exploitable condition that can be systematically triggered through controlled input manipulation.
From an operational standpoint, this denial of service vulnerability significantly impacts the availability and reliability of the password recovery tool. Attackers can systematically disrupt legitimate users' ability to access password recovery features by simply providing excessive input data, effectively rendering the application unusable for its intended purpose. The vulnerability's exploitability is particularly concerning as it requires minimal technical expertise to execute, making it accessible to a broad range of threat actors. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise user trust in the application's stability and security, especially in environments where password recovery functionality is critical for user access management.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation measures at multiple layers of the application architecture. Developers must enforce strict character limits on all user input fields, particularly those used for authentication and licensing purposes, while also implementing proper memory management practices to prevent buffer overflow conditions. The solution should incorporate defensive programming techniques such as input length checking, boundary validation, and secure memory allocation practices that align with industry standards like those recommended in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices. Additionally, regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other input handling mechanisms within the application. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of robust input validation in preventing both denial of service conditions and potential privilege escalation attacks that could leverage similar buffer overflow flaws in more complex scenarios.