CVE-2018-25280: Infiltrator Scanner DoS Vulnerability

CVE-2018-25280 Overview

CVE-2018-25280 is a buffer overflow vulnerability affecting Infiltrator Network Security Scanner version 4.6. The vulnerability allows local attackers to crash the application by supplying an oversized input string to the Scan Target field. When an attacker pastes a 6000-byte payload into this field and clicks the Scan button, it triggers a denial of service condition, causing the application to crash.

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-120 (Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input), a classic buffer overflow weakness where user-supplied data exceeds the allocated buffer size without proper boundary validation.

Critical Impact

Local attackers can cause denial of service by crashing the Infiltrator Network Security Scanner application through a crafted 6000-byte payload in the Scan Target input field.

Affected Products

• Infiltrator Network Security Scanner 4.6

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-04-26 - CVE CVE-2018-25280 published to NVD
• 2026-04-27 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2018-25280

Vulnerability Analysis

This buffer overflow vulnerability exists in Infiltrator Network Security Scanner 4.6 due to insufficient bounds checking when processing user input in the Scan Target field. The application allocates a fixed-size buffer for storing the target hostname or IP address, but fails to validate that the input length does not exceed this buffer's capacity.

When a user provides input exceeding the expected buffer size—specifically a 6000-byte payload—the application writes beyond the allocated memory region. This memory corruption leads to application instability and an immediate crash, resulting in denial of service. The attack requires local access and minimal user interaction (clicking the Scan button), making it exploitable by any user with access to the application interface.

Root Cause

The root cause is a classic CWE-120 buffer overflow condition where the application copies user-supplied input into a fixed-size buffer without first checking the input length against the buffer's capacity. The Scan Target input field accepts arbitrary-length strings but the underlying buffer cannot accommodate inputs of 6000 bytes or more, leading to memory corruption when such oversized inputs are processed.

Attack Vector

The attack requires local access to a system running Infiltrator Network Security Scanner 4.6. An attacker must:

1. Open the Infiltrator Network Security Scanner application
2. Navigate to the Scan Target input field
3. Paste or enter a payload of approximately 6000 bytes
4. Click the Scan button to trigger the buffer overflow

The vulnerability mechanism involves copying oversized user input from the Scan Target field into a fixed-size buffer without proper length validation. When the 6000-byte payload is processed, it overwrites adjacent memory, corrupting program state and causing the application to crash. Technical details about the specific exploitation technique can be found in the Exploit-DB #45390 advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2018-25280

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected crashes of Infiltrator Network Security Scanner application
• Windows Error Reporting events showing Infiltrator.exe crash with access violation exceptions
• Application log entries indicating buffer overflow or memory corruption errors
• Presence of abnormally large clipboard content coinciding with application crashes

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for repeated application crashes of Infiltrator Network Security Scanner through Windows Event Log
• Implement application whitelisting and monitoring to detect unusual behavior patterns
• Deploy endpoint detection tools to identify buffer overflow exploitation attempts
• Review crash dump files for signs of memory corruption in the Scan Target processing routines

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable Windows Error Reporting to capture crash details for forensic analysis
• Configure SentinelOne to monitor for suspicious application crashes and memory access violations
• Establish baseline behavior for Infiltrator Network Security Scanner and alert on deviations
• Monitor for local users attempting to inject large payloads into application input fields

How to Mitigate CVE-2018-25280

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to Infiltrator Network Security Scanner to trusted users only
• Consider discontinuing use of version 4.6 if no patch is available
• Implement application sandboxing to limit the impact of crashes
• Review and apply any available updates from the vendor

Patch Information

No official patch information is currently available in the CVE data. Users should check the Infiltration Systems Download page for any security updates or newer versions that address this vulnerability. The Vulncheck Advisory for Infiltrator DoS may provide additional guidance on remediation options.

Workarounds

• Limit physical and remote access to systems running the vulnerable application
• Run the application with reduced privileges to minimize potential impact
• Consider using alternative network security scanning tools until a patch is available
• Implement network segmentation to isolate systems running vulnerable software

As this vulnerability requires local access and user interaction, restricting who can access systems with Infiltrator Network Security Scanner installed significantly reduces the attack surface. Organizations should evaluate whether the application is critical to operations and consider replacing it with a non-vulnerable alternative if no patch becomes available.