GNU sharutils 4.2 /usr/bin/uudecode filename privileges management

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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8.0$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in GNU sharutils 4.2. It has been classified as problematic. Affected is an unknown function of the file /usr/bin/uudecode. The manipulation of the argument filename leads to privileges management. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2002-0178. There is no exploit available. Upgrading the affected component is recommended.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in GNU sharutils 4.2 and classified as critical. This issue affects an unknown code block of the file /usr/bin/uudecode. The manipulation of the argument filename with an unknown input leads to a privileges management vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to 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. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

uudecode, as available in the sharutils package before 4.2.1, does not check whether the filename of the uudecoded file is a pipe or symbolic link, which could allow attackers to overwrite files or execute commands.

The bug was discovered 05/14/2002. The weakness was shared 07/29/2004 as confirmed advisory (CERT.org). The advisory is shared at kb.cert.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2002-0178. The exploitation is known to be easy. An attack has to be approached locally. No form of authentication is needed for a successful exploitation. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available. MITRE ATT&CK project uses the attack technique T1068 for this issue.

The vulnerability was handled as a non-public zero-day exploit for at least 15 days. During that time the estimated underground price was around $0-$5k. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 13955 (Mandrake Linux Security Advisory : sharutils (MDKSA-2002:052)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family Mandriva Local Security Checks and running in the context l. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 115028 (Red Hat GNU SharUtils UUDecode Symbolic Link Attack Vulnerability).

Upgrading to version 4.2.1 eliminates this vulnerability. A possible mitigation has been published before and not just after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (9075), Tenable (13955), SecurityFocus (BID 4742†), OSVDB (8274†) and Secunia (SA12187†). If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 8.4
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 8.0

VulDB Base Score: 8.4
VulDB Temp Score: 8.0
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

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

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: No

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 13955
Nessus Name: Mandrake Linux Security Advisory : sharutils (MDKSA-2002:052)
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍
Nessus Port: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Upgrade: sharutils 4.2.1

Timelineinfo

05/14/2002 🔍
05/14/2002 +0 days 🔍
05/14/2002 +0 days 🔍
05/29/2002 +15 days 🔍
08/14/2002 +77 days 🔍
07/29/2004 +715 days 🔍
07/31/2004 +1 days 🔍
08/02/2004 +2 days 🔍
02/03/2005 +184 days 🔍
07/11/2014 +3445 days 🔍
09/22/2025 +4091 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: gnu.org

Advisory: kb.cert.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2002-0178 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2002-0178
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-18149
CERT: 🔍
X-Force: 9075
SecurityFocus: 4742 - GNU SharUtils UUDecode Symbolic Link Attack Vulnerability
Secunia: 12187
OSVDB: 8274 - SCO OpenServer uudecode Arbitrary File Overwrite
Vulnerability Center: 6975 - GNU sharutils 4.2 Allows Overwriting Files via uudecode, Low

Entryinfo

Created: 07/11/2014 13:59
Updated: 09/22/2025 02:51
Changes: 07/11/2014 13:59 (73), 05/29/2019 18:20 (2), 10/22/2024 07:05 (17), 09/22/2025 02:51 (2)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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