CVE-2001-0013

Format string vulnerability in nslookupComplain function in BIND 4 allows remote attackers to gain root privileges

published May 7, 2001

CVSS
—
EPSS
11%
Percentile
95.8
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

🚨 A format string vulnerability in the nslookupComplain function of BIND 4 is a call for your immediate attention! Think of it like a guest at a restaurant who gives the waiter a vague order — if the chef doesn’t clarify, they might end up cooking whatever strange dish the guest had in mind, allowing for utter chaos in the kitchen! This vulnerability could allow a remote attacker to gain root privileges, effectively taking full control of the BIND server. Imagine someone walking into your kitchen uninvited and having the power to change the entire menu — that's how dangerous this could be!

Put simply

Think of it like a guest at a restaurant who gives the waiter a vague order — if the chef doesn’t clarify, they might end up cooking whatever strange dish the guest had in mind, allowing for utter chaos in the kitchen! In simpler terms, the vulnerable nslookupComplain function fails to handle format strings securely, allowing attackers to manipulate the process and execute arbitrary code with root access.

What to do

This vulnerability could allow a remote attacker to gain root privileges, effectively taking full control of the BIND server. Imagine someone walking into your kitchen uninvited and having the power to change the entire menu — that's how dangerous this could be! To protect your system, it’s crucial to upgrade to a more secure version of BIND if you're still using BIND 4. You should also implement strict input validation to ensure format strings are handled correctly. 🛡️ You've got this! Follow the steps, and you’ll keep your server safe and sound! 🔒

The record
Technical detail
CVSS
Not scored
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.10751 · 95.8th percentile
Published
2001-05-07T04:00Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 07 MAY 04:00Z
    Format string vulnerability in nslookupComplain function in BIND 4 allows remote attackers to gain root privileges
    cvelistv5