MIT Kerberos 4 improper authentication

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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Current Exploit Price (≈)
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CTI Interest Score
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7.0$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability has been found in MIT Kerberos 4 and classified as problematic. Affected by this issue is some unknown functionality. The manipulation leads to improper authentication. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2003-0138. There is no exploit available. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in MIT Kerberos 4 (Network Authentication Software) and classified as critical. This issue affects an unknown part. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a improper authentication vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-287. When an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

Version 4 of the Kerberos protocol (krb4), as used in Heimdal and other packages, allows an attacker to impersonate any principal in a realm via a chosen-plaintext attack.

The weakness was shared 03/24/2003 by Sam Hartman as confirmed advisory (CERT.org). It is possible to read the advisory at kb.cert.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2003-0138 since 03/13/2003. The exploitation is known to be easy. The attack may be initiated remotely. No form of authentication is needed for a successful exploitation. The technical details are unknown and an exploit is not publicly available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 15110 (Debian DSA-273-1 : krb4 - Cryptographic weakness), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family Debian Local Security Checks and running in the context l. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 38371 (Red Hat Kerberos Multiple Vulnerabilities).

Upgrading eliminates this vulnerability. A possible mitigation has been published 4 days after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (11570), Tenable (15110), SecurityFocus (BID 7113†) and Vulnerability Center (SBV-1554†). The entry VDB-20220 is related to this item. Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

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

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Improper authentication
CWE: CWE-287
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 15110
Nessus Name: Debian DSA-273-1 : krb4 - Cryptographic weakness
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍
Nessus Port: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 53337
OpenVAS Name: Debian Security Advisory DSA 266-1 (krb5)
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

Reaction Time: 🔍
0-Day Time: 🔍
Exposure Time: 🔍

Timelineinfo

03/13/2003 🔍
03/17/2003 +4 days 🔍
03/24/2003 +7 days 🔍
03/24/2003 +0 days 🔍
03/24/2003 +0 days 🔍
03/28/2003 +4 days 🔍
08/04/2003 +129 days 🔍
09/29/2004 +422 days 🔍
08/08/2014 +3600 days 🔍
08/25/2025 +4035 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: mit.edu

Advisory: kb.cert.org
Researcher: Sam Hartman
Status: Confirmed
Confirmation: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2003-0138 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2003-0138
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-20219

OVAL: 🔍

CERT: 🔍
X-Force: 11570
SecurityFocus: 7113 - Multiple Cryptographic Weaknesses in Kerberos 4 Protocol
Vulnerability Center: 1554 - Cryptographic Weaknesses in Kerberos 4 Protocol Enables Root Privilege, High

See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 08/08/2014 11:38
Updated: 08/25/2025 13:12
Changes: 08/08/2014 11:38 (71), 05/11/2019 08:20 (7), 01/19/2025 03:05 (17), 08/25/2025 13:12 (2)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216:B1F:103

Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

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