CVE-2002-0542

View on CVE.org

Published Apr 2, 2003 CVSS 2.0 · 7.2 High EPSS 1.5% KEV · Not listed

Description

mail in OpenBSD 2.9 and 3.0 processes a tilde (~) escape character in a message even when it is not in interactive mode, which could allow local users to gain root privileges via calls to mail in cron.

Affected Products

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions

n/a

n/a

affected

Version	Status	Constraints
`n/a`	affected	—

Configuration 1 [-]

OR	cpe:2.3:o:openbsd:openbsd:2.9:::::::*
	cpe:2.3:o:openbsd:openbsd:3.0:::::::*

No data.

No data available yet.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

Sign in to view the affected projects.

Advisories

Source	ID	Title
EUVD	EUVD-2002-0537	mail in OpenBSD 2.9 and 3.0 processes a tilde (~) escape character in a message even when it is not in interactive mode, which could allow local users to gain root privileges via calls to mail in cron.

Metrics

No CVSS v4.0

No CVSS v3.1

No CVSS v3.0

Access Vector Local

Access Complexity Low

Authentication None

Confidentiality Impact Complete

Integrity Impact Complete

Availability Impact Complete

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

Exploit prediction score: 1.5% (1.532% probability within 30 days)

Key SSVC decision points have not yet been added.

References

Link	Providers
http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=101855467811695&w=2
http://online.securityfocus.com/archive/1/267089
http://www.iss.net/security_center/static/8818.php
http://www.openbsd.org/errata30.html#mail
http://www.osvdb.org/5269
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/4495

History

No history.

Subscriptions

Openbsd Openbsd

Weaknesses

NVD-CWE-Other

Sources

CVE record Updated: Aug 8, 2024, 2:56 AM

Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: mitre
Published: Apr 2, 2003, 5:00 AM
Updated: Aug 8, 2024, 2:56 AM
Reserved: Jun 7, 2002, 12:00 AM

View source JSON

Vulnrichment No data

No data.

NVD Updated: Jun 16, 2026, 9:57 PM

Status: Modified
Published: Jul 3, 2002, 4:00 AM
Modified: Jun 16, 2026, 9:57 PM

View source JSON

Red Hat No data

No data.

OpenCVE enrichment No data

No data.

{"containers": {"cna": {"affected": [{"product": "n/a", "vendor": "n/a", "versions": [{"status": "affected", "version": "n/a"}]}], "datePublic": "2002-04-11T00:00:00.000Z", "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "mail in OpenBSD 2.9 and 3.0 processes a tilde (~) escape character in a message even when it is not in interactive mode, which could allow local users to gain root privileges via calls to mail in cron."}], "problemTypes": [{"descriptions": [{"description": "n/a", "lang": "en", "type": "text"}]}], "providerMetadata": {"dateUpdated": "2002-06-15T09:00:00.000Z", "orgId": "8254265b-2729-46b6-b9e3-3dfca2d5bfca", "shortName": "mitre"}, "references": [{"tags": ["x_refsource_CONFIRM"], "url": "http://www.openbsd.org/errata30.html#mail"}, {"name": "20020411 OpenBSD Local Root Compromise", "tags": ["mailing-list", "x_refsource_BUGTRAQ"], "url": "http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=101855467811695&w=2"}, {"name": "4495", "tags": ["vdb-entry", "x_refsource_BID"], "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/4495"}, {"name": "openbsd-mail-root-privileges(8818)", "tags": ["vdb-entry", "x_refsource_XF"], "url": "http://www.iss.net/security_center/static/8818.php"}, {"name": "20020411 local root compromise in openbsd 3.0 and below", "tags": ["mailing-list", "x_refsource_BUGTRAQ"], "url": "http://online.securityfocus.com/archive/1/267089"}, {"name": "5269", "tags": ["vdb-entry", "x_refsource_OSVDB"], "url": "http://www.osvdb.org/5269"}], "x_legacyV4Record": {"CVE_data_meta": {"ASSIGNER": "cve@mitre.org", "ID": "CVE-2002-0542", "STATE": "PUBLIC"}, "affects": {"vendor": {"vendor_data": [{"product": {"product_data": [{"product_name": "n/a", "version": {"version_data": [{"version_value": "n/a"}]}}]}, "vendor_name": "n/a"}]}}, "data_format": "MITRE", "data_type": "CVE", "data_version": "4.0", "description": {"description_data": [{"lang": "eng", "value": "mail in OpenBSD 2.9 and 3.0 processes a tilde (~) escape character in a message even when it is not in interactive mode, which could allow local users to gain root privileges via calls to mail in cron."}]}, "problemtype": {"problemtype_data": [{"description": [{"lang": "eng", "value": "n/a"}]}]}, "references": {"reference_data": [{"name": "http://www.openbsd.org/errata30.html#mail", "refsource": "CONFIRM", "url": "http://www.openbsd.org/errata30.html#mail"}, {"name": "20020411 OpenBSD Local Root Compromise", "refsource": "BUGTRAQ", "url": "http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=101855467811695&w=2"}, {"name": "4495", "refsource": "BID", "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/4495"}, {"name": "openbsd-mail-root-privileges(8818)", "refsource": "XF", "url": "http://www.iss.net/security_center/static/8818.php"}, {"name": "20020411 local root compromise in openbsd 3.0 and below", "refsource": "BUGTRAQ", "url": "http://online.securityfocus.com/archive/1/267089"}, {"name": "5269", "refsource": "OSVDB", "url": "http://www.osvdb.org/5269"}]}}}, "adp": [{"providerMetadata": {"orgId": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108", "shortName": "CVE", "dateUpdated": "2024-08-08T02:56:37.079Z"}, "title": "CVE Program Container", "references": [{"tags": ["x_refsource_CONFIRM", "x_transferred"], "url": "http://www.openbsd.org/errata30.html#mail"}, {"name": "20020411 OpenBSD Local Root Compromise", "tags": ["mailing-list", "x_refsource_BUGTRAQ", "x_transferred"], "url": "http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=101855467811695&w=2"}, {"name": "4495", "tags": ["vdb-entry", "x_refsource_BID", "x_transferred"], "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/4495"}, {"name": "openbsd-mail-root-privileges(8818)", "tags": ["vdb-entry", "x_refsource_XF", "x_transferred"], "url": "http://www.iss.net/security_center/static/8818.php"}, {"name": "20020411 local root compromise in openbsd 3.0 and below", "tags": ["mailing-list", "x_refsource_BUGTRAQ", "x_transferred"], "url": "http://online.securityfocus.com/archive/1/267089"}, {"name": "5269", "tags": ["vdb-entry", "x_refsource_OSVDB", "x_transferred"], "url": "http://www.osvdb.org/5269"}]}]}, "cveMetadata": {"assignerOrgId": "8254265b-2729-46b6-b9e3-3dfca2d5bfca", "assignerShortName": "mitre", "cveId": "CVE-2002-0542", "datePublished": "2003-04-02T05:00:00.000Z", "dateReserved": "2002-06-07T00:00:00.000Z", "dateUpdated": "2024-08-08T02:56:37.079Z", "state": "PUBLISHED"}, "dataType": "CVE_RECORD", "dataVersion": "5.1"}

{"affected": [{"affectedData": [{"product": "n/a", "vendor": "n/a", "versions": [{"status": "affected", "version": "n/a"}]}], "source": "cve@mitre.org"}], "configurations": [{"nodes": [{"cpeMatch": [{"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:openbsd:openbsd:2.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "AA6AEAF0-FA61-4A3F-A083-1218C2027781", "vulnerable": true}, {"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:openbsd:openbsd:3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "60DA30A1-3360-46BC-85B7-008D535F95BE", "vulnerable": true}], "negate": false, "operator": "OR"}]}], "cveTags": [], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "mail in OpenBSD 2.9 and 3.0 processes a tilde (~) escape character in a message even when it is not in interactive mode, which could allow local users to gain root privileges via calls to mail in cron."}], "id": "CVE-2002-0542", "lastModified": "2026-06-16T21:57:38.517", "metrics": {"cvssMetricV2": [{"acInsufInfo": false, "baseSeverity": "HIGH", "cvssData": {"accessComplexity": "LOW", "accessVector": "LOCAL", "authentication": "NONE", "availabilityImpact": "COMPLETE", "baseScore": 7.2, "confidentialityImpact": "COMPLETE", "integrityImpact": "COMPLETE", "vectorString": "AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C", "version": "2.0"}, "exploitabilityScore": 3.9, "impactScore": 10.0, "obtainAllPrivilege": true, "obtainOtherPrivilege": false, "obtainUserPrivilege": false, "source": "nvd@nist.gov", "type": "Primary", "userInteractionRequired": false}]}, "published": "2002-07-03T04:00:00.000", "references": [{"source": "cve@mitre.org", "url": "http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=101855467811695&w=2"}, {"source": "cve@mitre.org", "tags": ["Exploit", "Vendor Advisory"], "url": "http://online.securityfocus.com/archive/1/267089"}, {"source": "cve@mitre.org", "tags": ["Patch", "Vendor Advisory"], "url": "http://www.iss.net/security_center/static/8818.php"}, {"source": "cve@mitre.org", "url": "http://www.openbsd.org/errata30.html#mail"}, {"source": "cve@mitre.org", "url": "http://www.osvdb.org/5269"}, {"source": "cve@mitre.org", "tags": ["Exploit", "Patch", "Vendor Advisory"], "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/4495"}, {"source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108", "url": "http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=101855467811695&w=2"}, {"source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108", "tags": ["Exploit", "Vendor Advisory"], "url": "http://online.securityfocus.com/archive/1/267089"}, {"source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108", "tags": ["Patch", "Vendor Advisory"], "url": "http://www.iss.net/security_center/static/8818.php"}, {"source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108", "url": "http://www.openbsd.org/errata30.html#mail"}, {"source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108", "url": "http://www.osvdb.org/5269"}, {"source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108", "tags": ["Exploit", "Patch", "Vendor Advisory"], "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/4495"}], "sourceIdentifier": "cve@mitre.org", "vulnStatus": "Modified", "weaknesses": [{"description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "NVD-CWE-Other"}], "source": "nvd@nist.gov", "type": "Primary"}]}