CVE-2000-0373 in kvt
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerabilities in the KDE kvt terminal program allow local users to gain root privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/19/2026
The CVE-2000-0373 vulnerability resides within the KDE kvt terminal program, a component of the K Desktop Environment that was widely used in Unix-like operating systems during the late 1990s and early 2000s. This flaw represents a privilege escalation vulnerability that enables local attackers to elevate their system privileges from regular user level to root access, fundamentally compromising system security. The vulnerability specifically affects the kvt terminal application's handling of certain environment variables and file permissions during program execution, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by malicious users with local access to the system.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper privilege handling within the kvt application's initialization process. When the program executes, it fails to properly sanitize or validate environment variables that are passed to it, particularly those related to library paths and configuration file locations. This weakness allows a local user to manipulate these variables in such a way that when kvt executes with elevated privileges, it loads malicious code from a specially crafted library or configuration file. The flaw operates under the principle of insecure library loading, where the application does not properly verify the integrity or origin of dynamically linked libraries, creating an opportunity for code injection attacks. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-426, which describes the weakness of untrusted search path or library loading, and represents a classic example of how improper privilege management can lead to system compromise.
The operational impact of CVE-2000-0373 is severe and far-reaching, as it allows any local user with basic system access to escalate their privileges to root level. This creates a significant security risk for systems running affected versions of KDE, particularly in multi-user environments where users might have legitimate access to the system but should not possess administrative privileges. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to gain complete control over the affected system, enabling them to modify system files, install backdoors, access sensitive data, or perform other malicious activities that would normally require administrative privileges. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it does not require network access or special attack vectors, making it exploitable through simple local system access. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques under the T1068 category, specifically targeting the execution of malicious code with elevated privileges through insecure library loading mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2000-0373 primarily focus on immediate patching and system hardening measures. Organizations should immediately apply security patches provided by KDE developers and their respective operating system vendors to address the vulnerability. System administrators should also implement proper environment variable sanitization and privilege separation measures, ensuring that applications do not execute with elevated privileges when unnecessary. The use of secure coding practices and proper library loading mechanisms can prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in future software development. Additionally, implementing principle of least privilege policies and monitoring for suspicious privilege escalation attempts can help detect potential exploitation attempts. From a defensive standpoint, this vulnerability highlights the importance of proper privilege management and secure library loading practices, which are fundamental principles in both CWE guidelines and ATT&CK framework recommendations for preventing privilege escalation attacks.