rsync up to 2.5.6 Server Mode heap-based overflow

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.
6.6$0-$5k0.09

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in rsync. It has been rated as critical. This impacts an unknown function of the component Server Mode. This manipulation causes heap-based overflow. This vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2003-0962. The attack is possible to be carried out remotely. Moreover, an exploit is present. Upgrading the affected component is advised.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in rsync (File Transfer Software) and classified as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown function of the component Server Mode. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a heap-based overflow vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-122. A heap overflow condition is a buffer overflow, where the buffer that can be overwritten is allocated in the heap portion of memory, generally meaning that the buffer was allocated using a routine such as malloc(). As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

Heap-based buffer overflow in rsync before 2.5.7, when running in server mode, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code and possibly escape the chroot jail.

The bug was discovered 10/04/2003. The weakness was disclosed 12/04/2003 by Timo Sirainen, Mike Warfield, Paul Russell and And (Website). It is possible to read the advisory at rsync.samba.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2003-0962 since 11/26/2003. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploitation doesn't need any form of authentication. Technical details are unknown but an exploit is available.

It is possible to download the exploit at immunitysec.com. It is declared as proof-of-concept. The vulnerability was handled as a non-public zero-day exploit for at least 61 days. During that time the estimated underground price was around $5k-$25k. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 13818 (SuSE-SA:2003:050: rsync), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family SuSE Local Security Checks. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 115031 (Red Hat RSYNC Heap Overflow Vulnerability).

Upgrading eliminates this vulnerability. Applying a patch is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at rsync.samba.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version. A possible mitigation has been published immediately after the disclosure of the vulnerability. Attack attempts may be identified with Snort ID 2048. In this case the pattern |00 00| is used for detection. Furthermore it is possible to detect and prevent this kind of attack with TippingPoint and the filter 2554.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (13899), Tenable (13818), SecurityFocus (BID 9153†), OSVDB (2898†) and Secunia (SA10474†). Additional details are provided at samba.org. The entries VDB-82, VDB-332, VDB-333 and VDB-561 are pretty similar. Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

Name

Version

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 6.6

VulDB Base Score: 7.3
VulDB Temp Score: 6.6
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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

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

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Heap-based overflow
CWE: CWE-122 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Access: Public
Status: Proof-of-Concept
Download: 🔍

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

0-DayUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
TodayUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock

Nessus ID: 13818
Nessus Name: SuSE-SA:2003:050: rsync
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 53383
OpenVAS Name: Debian Security Advisory DSA 404-1 (rsync)
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: 🔍

Patch: rsync.samba.org

Snort ID: 2048
Snort Message: DELETED MISC rsyncd overflow attempt
Snort Pattern: 🔍

Suricata ID: 2102048
Suricata Class: 🔍
Suricata Message: 🔍

TippingPoint: 🔍

McAfee IPS: 🔍
McAfee IPS Version: 🔍

SourceFire IPS: 🔍
ISS Proventia IPS: 🔍

Timelineinfo

01/01/2003 🔍
10/04/2003 +276 days 🔍
11/26/2003 +53 days 🔍
12/04/2003 +8 days 🔍
12/04/2003 +0 days 🔍
12/04/2003 +0 days 🔍
12/04/2003 +0 days 🔍
12/04/2003 +0 days 🔍
12/15/2003 +10 days 🔍
12/17/2003 +2 days 🔍
12/22/2003 +5 days 🔍
07/25/2004 +216 days 🔍
07/20/2025 +7664 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Advisory: rsync.samba.org
Researcher: Timo Sirainen, Mike Warfield, Paul Russell, And
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2003-0962 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2003-0962
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-427

OVAL: 🔍

CERT: 🔍
X-Force: 13899 - Linux rsync heap overflow, High Risk
SecurityFocus: 9153 - RSync Daemon Mode Undisclosed Remote Heap Overflow Vulnerability
Secunia: 10474 - Mac OS X Security Update Fixes Multiple Vulnerabilities, Highly Critical
OSVDB: 2898 - rsync Unspecified Remote Heap Overflow
SecuriTeam: securiteam.com
Vulnerability Center: 3217 - Heap Based Buffer Overflow in Rsync Before 2.5.7 Allows Arbitrary Code Execution, Medium

scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20161013
Misc.: 🔍
See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 12/04/2003 12:22
Updated: 07/20/2025 01:50
Changes: 12/04/2003 12:22 (103), 06/27/2019 11:53 (4), 12/26/2024 20:26 (20), 07/20/2025 01:50 (4)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216:D93:103

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

Discussion

No comments yet. Languages: en.

Please log in to comment.

◂ PreviousOverviewNext ▸

Want to know what is going to be exploited?

We predict KEV entries!