CVE-2019-25463: SpotIE Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

CVE-2019-25463 Overview

CVE-2019-25463 is a denial of service vulnerability affecting SpotIE Internet Explorer Password Recovery version 2.9.5. The vulnerability exists in the registration key input field, where a buffer overflow condition can be triggered by supplying an excessively long string. Local attackers can exploit this flaw by pasting a 256-character payload into the Key field during the registration process, causing the application to crash.

Critical Impact

Local attackers can crash the SpotIE Internet Explorer Password Recovery application through a buffer overflow in the registration key field, causing service disruption.

Affected Products

• SpotIE Internet Explorer Password Recovery 2.9.5

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-11 - CVE CVE-2019-25463 published to NVD
• 2026-03-12 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2019-25463

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), indicating that the application writes data past the boundaries of a pre-allocated buffer. The flaw resides in the registration key validation routine of SpotIE Internet Explorer Password Recovery 2.9.5.

When processing user-supplied input in the registration Key field, the application fails to properly validate the length of the input string before copying it into a fixed-size buffer. This lack of bounds checking allows an attacker to supply input that exceeds the buffer's capacity, resulting in memory corruption and an application crash.

The local attack vector requires the attacker to have access to the system where SpotIE is installed. No user interaction beyond the attacker's own actions is required, and no special privileges are needed to trigger the vulnerability.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper input validation in the registration key processing functionality. The application allocates a fixed-size buffer for storing the registration key but does not enforce length restrictions on user input. When an input string exceeding the buffer size (approximately 256 characters) is provided, the application attempts to write beyond the buffer boundary, corrupting adjacent memory and causing the application to crash.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is local, requiring the attacker to have access to the target system. The attacker must navigate to the registration dialog within SpotIE Internet Explorer Password Recovery and paste or type an overly long string (256+ characters) into the registration Key field. Upon submission or processing of this input, the buffer overflow condition is triggered, resulting in immediate application termination.

The vulnerability can be triggered through simple interaction with the application's user interface, requiring no special tools or complex exploitation techniques. The attacker crafts a payload consisting of an extended string and supplies it through the standard registration process.

Detection Methods for CVE-2019-25463

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected crashes or termination of the SpotIE Internet Explorer Password Recovery application
• Application crash dumps showing memory access violations related to the registration module
• System event logs indicating application faults in SpotIE.exe or related processes

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for repeated application crashes of SpotIE Internet Explorer Password Recovery through Windows Event Logs
• Implement endpoint detection rules to identify buffer overflow patterns in password recovery utilities
• Use application whitelisting to control execution of vulnerable versions of SpotIE

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable Windows Error Reporting to capture crash details for SpotIE applications
• Configure endpoint protection solutions to alert on application stability issues affecting password recovery tools
• Review system logs for patterns of repeated application failures that may indicate exploitation attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2019-25463

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to systems running SpotIE Internet Explorer Password Recovery 2.9.5 to trusted users only
• Consider uninstalling or disabling SpotIE Internet Explorer Password Recovery if not essential for operations
• Implement application-level access controls to prevent unauthorized use of the registration functionality
• Monitor for exploitation attempts through endpoint detection and response solutions

Patch Information

No vendor patch information is currently available for this vulnerability. Organizations should consider discontinuing use of SpotIE Internet Explorer Password Recovery 2.9.5 and migrating to alternative password recovery solutions that are actively maintained.

For additional technical details, see the Exploit-DB #47404 entry and the VulnCheck Advisory on Spotie.

Workarounds

• Remove SpotIE Internet Explorer Password Recovery from systems where it is not strictly required
• Restrict local access to machines running the vulnerable application to trusted administrators only
• Use alternative password recovery tools that are actively maintained and patched
• Implement application control policies to prevent execution of the vulnerable SpotIE version