CVE-2018-25240
Denial of Service via Buffer Overflow in Microsoft Watchr Search
Publication date: 2026-04-04
Last updated on: 2026-04-04
Assigner: VulnCheck
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| microsoft | watchr | 1.1.0.0 |
| microsoft | watchr | to 1.1.0.0 (exc) |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-1260 | The product allows address regions to overlap, which can result in the bypassing of intended memory protection. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
Immediate mitigation steps include avoiding the use of the search functionality with excessively long input strings in Microsoft Watchr version 1.1.0.0.
Since the vulnerability is triggered by local input of a very long string, restricting local access to the application or limiting input length in the search bar can reduce risk.
Additionally, monitor for updates or patches from Microsoft that address this denial of service vulnerability and apply them as soon as they become available.
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
CVE-2018-25240 is a denial of service (DoS) vulnerability in Microsoft Watchr version 1.1.0.0 and earlier. It occurs because the application improperly handles an excessively long input string in its search functionality.
A local attacker can exploit this by submitting a string of 8,145 characters into the search bar, which causes the application to crash due to a buffer-related fault.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can cause the Microsoft Watchr application to crash, resulting in a denial of service condition.
Since the attack requires local access and no privileges or user interaction, an attacker with local access can disrupt the availability of the application, potentially impacting productivity or access to the software.
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
This vulnerability can be detected by attempting to reproduce the crash condition on the Microsoft Watchr application version 1.1.0.0. A proof-of-concept exploit involves creating a payload of 8,145 characters and submitting it to the search bar.
One way to test this is to use a script to generate a file containing 8,145 'A' characters, then copy and paste the contents into the Watchr search bar and execute the search to see if the application crashes.
For example, using Python, you can create the payload file with the following command:
- python -c "print('A'*8145)" > watchr.txt
Then open the watchr.txt file, copy its contents, paste into the Watchr search bar, and perform a search to check if the application crashes, indicating the presence of the vulnerability.
How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:
The vulnerability is a denial of service (DoS) issue that allows local attackers to crash the Microsoft Watchr application by submitting an excessively long string to the search functionality.
There is no information provided in the context or resources about how this vulnerability impacts compliance with common standards and regulations such as GDPR or HIPAA.