CVE-2018-25277: PixGPS Buffer Overflow DoS Vulnerability

CVE-2018-25277 Overview

CVE-2018-25277 is a buffer overflow vulnerability in PixGPS version 1.1.8 that allows local attackers to crash the application by supplying an oversized string to the folder path input field. Attackers can craft a payload exceeding 6000 bytes and paste it into the 'Folder with picture files' field to trigger a denial of service condition.

Critical Impact

Local attackers can exploit this buffer overflow vulnerability to cause application crashes, resulting in denial of service and potential disruption of GPS photo geotagging workflows.

Affected Products

• PixGPS 1.1.8

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-04-26 - CVE CVE-2018-25277 published to NVD
• 2026-04-27 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2018-25277

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-120: Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow'). The application fails to properly validate the size of user-supplied input in the folder path field before copying it into a fixed-size memory buffer. When a user provides a string exceeding approximately 6000 bytes, the application writes beyond the allocated buffer boundaries, corrupting adjacent memory and causing the application to crash.

The vulnerability requires local access to exploit, meaning an attacker must have the ability to interact with the PixGPS application interface directly. No authentication is required to trigger the condition, and no user interaction beyond the attacker's own actions is necessary. While the vulnerability results in high availability impact through denial of service, there is no impact to confidentiality or integrity of data.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in improper input validation within the PixGPS application. The 'Folder with picture files' input field accepts user-provided path strings without enforcing adequate length restrictions. The application then attempts to copy this oversized input into a statically allocated buffer, resulting in a classic buffer overflow condition. This represents a failure to implement proper boundary checking before memory copy operations.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for CVE-2018-25277 is local, requiring direct access to a system running the vulnerable PixGPS application. An attacker would craft a malicious string payload exceeding 6000 bytes and paste it directly into the 'Folder with picture files' field within the application's user interface. Upon processing this oversized input, the application crashes due to memory corruption.

The exploitation technique involves generating a sufficiently large payload string and inserting it via the GUI input field. Technical details and proof-of-concept information are available through the Exploit-DB #45381 entry and the VulnCheck Advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2018-25277

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected crashes of the PixGPS application (PixGPS.exe)
• Windows Error Reporting (WER) logs indicating access violations or buffer overflows in PixGPS
• Presence of unusually long strings (>6000 characters) in application logs or crash dumps

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for repeated application crashes involving PixGPS through Windows Event Log entries
• Implement endpoint detection rules to identify process terminations caused by memory access violations
• Use application control policies to restrict execution of known vulnerable PixGPS versions

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable crash dump collection for PixGPS to facilitate forensic analysis of potential exploitation attempts
• Configure SIEM rules to alert on repeated application crash events from the same executable
• Monitor file system activity for suspicious payload files that may contain oversized path strings

How to Mitigate CVE-2018-25277

Immediate Actions Required

• Discontinue use of PixGPS version 1.1.8 until a patched version is available
• Restrict local access to systems running the vulnerable application to trusted users only
• Consider using alternative GPS photo geotagging software that is actively maintained

Patch Information

No official patch information is currently available from the vendor. The application appears to be distributed through BR Software, but no security advisory or updated version addressing this vulnerability has been identified. Organizations should monitor vendor communications for potential updates and consider replacing the software with actively maintained alternatives.

Workarounds

• Limit local access to workstations running PixGPS to authorized personnel only
• Implement application whitelisting to control which users can execute the PixGPS application
• Consider running PixGPS in a sandboxed or isolated environment to contain potential crashes
• Avoid copying and pasting untrusted content into the application's input fields

# Example: Restrict application access using Windows AppLocker (PowerShell)
# Create a rule to allow only specific users to run PixGPS
New-AppLockerPolicy -RuleType Path -Path "C:\Program Files\PixGPS\*" -User "DOMAIN\TrustedUsers" -Action Allow