CVE-2003-0102
Buffer overflow in tryelf() in readelf.c of the file command allows attackers to execute arbitrary code as the user running file, possibly via a large entity size value in an ELF header (elfhdr.e_shentsize).
Does this matter?
2 public exploits are published in Exploit-DB (verified), so the technical barrier is gone even though the severity is medium and EPSS is 2.0%. Treat it as high on anything reachable from the internet.
Description
Buffer overflow in tryelf() in readelf.c of the file command allows attackers to execute arbitrary code as the user running file, possibly via a large entity size value in an ELF header (elfhdr.e_shentsize).
- CVSS 2.0
- 4.6 MEDIUMAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
- EPSS
- 1.98% probability · 80th percentile
- Public exploits
- 2 in Exploit-DB · verified · first 4 March 2003
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Affected
- file/file · netbsd/netbsd
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS 2.0% since 26 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
Public exploits (2)
Entries in Exploit-DB that cite this CVE. Links go to the Exploit-DB page and to the file in the public repository; nothing is hosted here. A verified tick means the Exploit-DB team confirmed the exploit works against the stated version.
References
- ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/security/advisories/NetBSD-SA2003-003.txt.asc
- http://lwn.net/Alerts/34908/
- http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=104680706201721&w=2
- http://www.debian.org/security/2003/dsa-260
- http://www.idefense.com/advisory/03.04.03.txtExploit, Patch, Vendor Advisory
- http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/611865US Government Resource
- http://www.mandrakesoft.com/security/advisories?name=MDKSA-2003:030
- http://www.novell.com/linux/security/advisories/2003_017_file.html
- http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2003-086.html
- http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2003-087.html
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/7008Patch, Vendor Advisory
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/11469
- ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/security/advisories/NetBSD-SA2003-003.txt.asc
- http://lwn.net/Alerts/34908/
- http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=104680706201721&w=2
- http://www.debian.org/security/2003/dsa-260
- http://www.idefense.com/advisory/03.04.03.txtExploit, Patch, Vendor Advisory
- http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/611865US Government Resource
- http://www.mandrakesoft.com/security/advisories?name=MDKSA-2003:030
- http://www.novell.com/linux/security/advisories/2003_017_file.html
- http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2003-086.html
- http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2003-087.html
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/7008Patch, Vendor Advisory
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/11469
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.