CVE-2018-25256 Overview
CVE-2018-25256 is a local buffer overflow vulnerability affecting IP TOOLS version 2.50, specifically within the SNMP Scanner component. This vulnerability allows local attackers to crash the application by supplying oversized input to specific fields, resulting in denial of service and a Structured Exception Handler (SEH) overwrite condition.
The vulnerability is triggered when an attacker pastes malicious data into the From Addr and To Addr fields within the SNMP Scanner interface and initiates the scan by clicking the Start button. This causes the application to improperly handle the oversized input, leading to a buffer overflow that corrupts memory and crashes the application.
Critical Impact
Local attackers can exploit this buffer overflow to cause denial of service through application crashes and SEH overwrite, potentially disrupting network administration workflows that rely on IP TOOLS for SNMP scanning operations.
Affected Products
- IP TOOLS version 2.50
- SNMP Scanner component within IP TOOLS
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-04-05 - CVE-2018-25256 published to NVD
- 2026-04-07 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2018-25256
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability is classified under CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), indicating that the application writes data beyond the boundaries of allocated memory buffers. The SNMP Scanner component in IP TOOLS 2.50 fails to properly validate the length of user-supplied input in the address fields before copying it into fixed-size memory buffers.
When oversized data is provided to the From Addr and To Addr input fields, the application attempts to process this data without adequate bounds checking. This results in stack memory corruption that overwrites adjacent memory structures, including the Structured Exception Handler chain.
The local attack vector means exploitation requires the attacker to have local access to the system where IP TOOLS is installed. User interaction is required as the attacker must provide the malicious input and trigger the scan functionality.
Root Cause
The root cause of CVE-2018-25256 is inadequate input validation in the SNMP Scanner component. The application accepts user input for IP address ranges without enforcing proper length restrictions or boundary checks. When this unchecked input is processed, it overflows the allocated buffer space on the stack, corrupting adjacent memory regions including exception handling structures.
The lack of safe string handling functions and missing input sanitization allows arbitrarily long strings to be written into fixed-size buffers, leading to classic stack-based buffer overflow conditions.
Attack Vector
The attack vector for this vulnerability is local, requiring the attacker to have access to a system with IP TOOLS 2.50 installed. The exploitation process involves:
- Launching IP TOOLS and navigating to the SNMP Scanner component
- Crafting an oversized string payload designed to overflow the input buffers
- Pasting the malicious payload into the From Addr and To Addr input fields
- Clicking the Start button to trigger the scan operation
When the application processes the oversized input, the buffer overflow occurs, corrupting the stack and overwriting the SEH chain. This results in an application crash, causing denial of service. The SEH overwrite condition may potentially be leveraged for further exploitation in certain configurations, though the primary impact documented is denial of service.
Technical details and proof-of-concept information are available through the Exploit-DB #46286 reference.
Detection Methods for CVE-2018-25256
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected crashes of the iptools.exe process, particularly when SNMP Scanner is active
- Application error logs indicating memory access violations or stack corruption
- Windows Event Log entries showing application faults with exception codes related to access violations
- Presence of suspicious input patterns in application configuration or clipboard history
Detection Strategies
- Monitor for repeated IP TOOLS application crashes using Windows Error Reporting or application crash monitoring tools
- Implement endpoint detection rules to identify processes exhibiting signs of buffer overflow exploitation such as unexpected SEH chain modifications
- Deploy application behavior monitoring to detect abnormal memory access patterns in IP TOOLS processes
- Use SentinelOne's behavioral AI to detect exploitation attempts targeting vulnerable applications
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable detailed application crash logging for IP TOOLS installations
- Configure endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to alert on application stability issues
- Monitor systems running IP TOOLS 2.50 for signs of intentional denial of service attacks
- Review user activity logs for suspicious patterns of interaction with the SNMP Scanner component
How to Mitigate CVE-2018-25256
Immediate Actions Required
- Update IP TOOLS to the latest available version from KS-Soft IP Tools if a patched version is available
- Restrict local access to systems running IP TOOLS 2.50 to trusted administrators only
- Consider removing or disabling the SNMP Scanner component if it is not essential for operations
- Implement application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized users from interacting with IP TOOLS
Patch Information
Vendor patch information is not explicitly provided in the CVE data. Users should check the KS-Soft IP Tools vendor website for updated versions that address this vulnerability. Additionally, the VulnCheck Advisory on IP Tools may contain updated remediation guidance.
Organizations should prioritize upgrading to newer versions of IP TOOLS if available, or consider migrating to alternative network scanning tools that have been actively maintained with security updates.
Workarounds
- Limit user access to IP TOOLS installations to prevent untrusted users from triggering the vulnerability
- Run IP TOOLS in an isolated environment or virtual machine to contain potential crashes
- Implement Data Execution Prevention (DEP) and Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) on systems running IP TOOLS to mitigate exploitation attempts
- Monitor and restrict clipboard operations on sensitive systems to prevent pasting of oversized malicious payloads
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
