| CVSS Meta Temp Score | Current Exploit Price (≈) | CTI Interest Score |
|---|---|---|
| 5.3 | $0-$5k | 0.00 |
Summary
A vulnerability was found in Stunnel and classified as problematic. This vulnerability affects the function Lists of the component Descriptor Handler. The manipulation results in privileges management.
This vulnerability is reported as CVE-2003-0740. Moreover, an exploit is present.
It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.
Details
A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, was found in Stunnel. Affected is the function listen of the component Descriptor Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a privileges management vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as 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. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:
Stunnel 4.00, and 3.24 and earlier, leaks a privileged file descriptor returned by listen(), which allows local users to hijack the Stunnel server.
The bug was discovered 09/03/2003. The weakness was disclosed 09/03/2003 by Steve Grubb (LINUX) as not defined posting (Bugtraq). The advisory is shared for download at marc.theaimsgroup.com. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2003-0740 since 09/03/2003. The exploitability is told to be easy. The attack needs to be approached locally. The exploitation doesn't require any form of authentication. Technical details and a public exploit are known. The MITRE ATT&CK project declares the attack technique as T1068.
The exploit is shared for download at exploit-db.com. It is declared as proof-of-concept. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 14090 (Mandrake Linux Security Advisory : stunnel (MDKSA-2003:108)), 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 38378 (Red Hat Stunnel Re-entrancy Vulnerability).
Upgrading eliminates this vulnerability. A possible mitigation has been published 3 months after the disclosure of the vulnerability.
The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Exploit-DB (91), Tenable (14090), SecurityFocus (BID 8537†), OSVDB (6451†) and Secunia (SA9691†). Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Product
Name
Version
CPE 2.3
CPE 2.2
CVSSv4
VulDB Vector: 🔍VulDB Reliability: 🔍
CVSSv3
VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.9VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.3
VulDB Base Score: 5.9
VulDB Temp Score: 5.3
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍
CVSSv2
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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
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Exploiting
Class: Privileges managementCWE: CWE-269 / CWE-266
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍
Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: No
Availability: 🔍
Access: Public
Status: Proof-of-Concept
Download: 🔍
EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍
Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍
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Nessus ID: 14090
Nessus Name: Mandrake Linux Security Advisory : stunnel (MDKSA-2003:108)
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍
Nessus Port: 🔍
Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍
Exploit-DB: 🔍
Threat Intelligence
Interest: 🔍Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍
Countermeasures
Recommended: UpgradeStatus: 🔍
Reaction Time: 🔍
0-Day Time: 🔍
Exposure Time: 🔍
Timeline
09/03/2003 🔍09/03/2003 🔍
09/03/2003 🔍
09/03/2003 🔍
09/05/2003 🔍
09/09/2003 🔍
10/20/2003 🔍
11/25/2003 🔍
04/09/2004 🔍
07/31/2004 🔍
11/15/2005 🔍
08/15/2014 🔍
07/25/2025 🔍
Sources
Advisory: marc.theaimsgroup.comResearcher: Steve Grubb (LINUX)
Status: Confirmed
CVE: CVE-2003-0740 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2003-0740
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-20892
SecurityFocus: 8537 - Stunnel Leaked File Descriptor Vulnerability
Secunia: 9691 - Stunnel Local Server Hijacking Vulnerability, Less Critical
OSVDB: 6451 - Stunnel File Descriptor Leak Session Hijack
Vulnerability Center: 9637 - Stunnel Local DoS via File Descriptors Returned by listen(), Low
scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20161013
Entry
Created: 08/15/2014 14:38Updated: 07/25/2025 20:43
Changes: 08/15/2014 14:38 (74), 06/11/2019 12:59 (9), 11/24/2024 17:59 (18), 07/25/2025 20:43 (2)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
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