Microsoft Windows 2000 SMTP Service SMTP AUTH privileges management

CVSS Meta Temp Score
CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.
Current Exploit Price (≈)
Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.
CTI Interest Score
Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
7.0$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as critical has been reported in Microsoft Windows 2000. The impacted element is an unknown function of the component SMTP Service. This manipulation of the argument SMTP AUTH causes privileges management. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2002-0054. There is no exploit available. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Microsoft Windows 2000 (Operating System) and classified as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown code of the component SMTP Service. The manipulation of the argument SMTP AUTH with an unknown input leads to a privileges management vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-269. The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

SMTP service in (1) Microsoft Windows 2000 and (2) Internet Mail Connector (IMC) in Exchange Server 5.5 does not properly handle responses to NTLM authentication, which allows remote attackers to perform mail relaying via an SMTP AUTH command using null session credentials.

The issue has been introduced in 02/17/2000. The weakness was shared 03/08/2002 with BindView as MS02-011 as confirmed bulletin (Technet). It is possible to read the advisory at microsoft.com. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2002-0054. The exploitation appears to be easy. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploitation doesn't need any form of authentication. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit. The attack technique deployed by this issue is T1068 according to MITRE ATT&CK.

The vulnerability was handled as a non-public zero-day exploit for at least 750 days. During that time the estimated underground price was around $25k-$100k. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 11308 (Microsoft Windows SMTP Service NTLM Null Session Authorization Bypass (uncredentialed check)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family SMTP problems and running in the context r. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 74162 (Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 SMTP Authentication Flaw (MS02-011)).

Upgrading eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch MS02-011 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at microsoft.com. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (11308), SecurityFocus (BID 4205†) and Vulnerability Center (SBV-1368†). The entries VDB-17960 and VDB-17958 are related to this item. Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

Vendor

Name

Version

License

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.0

VulDB Base Score: 7.3
VulDB Temp Score: 7.0
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock

VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Privileges management
CWE: CWE-269 / CWE-266
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

0-DayUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
TodayUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock

Nessus ID: 11308
Nessus Name: Microsoft Windows SMTP Service NTLM Null Session Authorization Bypass (uncredentialed check)
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Patch: MS02-011
McAfee IPS: 🔍
McAfee IPS Version: 🔍

Timelineinfo

02/17/2000 🔍
02/27/2002 +741 days 🔍
02/27/2002 +0 days 🔍
03/08/2002 +9 days 🔍
03/08/2002 +0 days 🔍
03/02/2003 +359 days 🔍
07/01/2003 +121 days 🔍
07/11/2014 +4028 days 🔍
09/23/2025 +4092 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: microsoft.com
Product: microsoft.com

Advisory: MS02-011
Organization: BindView
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2002-0054 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2002-0054
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-17959
SecurityFocus: 4205 - Microsoft Windows SMTP Service Authorization Bypass Vulnerability
Vulnerability Center: 1368 - [MS02-011] Windows 2000 and Exchange 5.5 Allow Mail Relaying via SMTP Commands using Null Session, High

See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 07/11/2014 13:40
Updated: 09/23/2025 04:50
Changes: 07/11/2014 13:40 (75), 09/23/2025 04:50 (18)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

Discussion

No comments yet. Languages: en.

Please log in to comment.

◂ PreviousOverviewNext ▸

Do you need the next level of professionalism?

Upgrade your account now!