CVE-2002-2338
CWE-20Published: December 31, 2002· Updated: Jun 16, 2026
Official Description
The POP3 mail client in Mozilla 1.0 and earlier, and Netscape Communicator 4.7 and earlier, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (no new mail) via a mail message containing a dot (.) at a newline, which is interpreted as the end of the message.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2002-2338 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
Exploitation requires some privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit exists for CVE-2002-2338. While not yet confirmed in active campaigns, the availability of PoC code increases exploitation risk substantially.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (14)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-20)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2002-2338 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts