HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2003-0899
CRITICALPOC

CVE-2003-0899

CWE-131Published: November 3, 2003· Updated: Jun 16, 2026

9.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Buffer overflow in defang in libhttpd.c for thttpd 2.21 to 2.23b1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via requests that contain '<' or '>' characters, which trigger the overflow when the characters are expanded to "&lt;" and "&gt;" sequences.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2003-0899 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 9.8.

A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit exists for CVE-2003-0899. While not yet confirmed in active campaigns, the availability of PoC code increases exploitation risk substantially.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

acme1 product(s)
thttpd
Source: NVD CPE · 2 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

POC AVAILABLEProof-of-concept code exists
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

PATCHhttp://secunia.com/advisories/10092
PATCHhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/8906
PATCHhttp://secunia.com/advisories/10092
PATCHhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/8906
ADVISORYhttps://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/13530
ADVISORYhttps://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/13530

All References (14)

→
http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=106729188224252&w=2Exploit · Mailing List
→
http://secunia.com/advisories/10092Broken Link · Patch · Vendor Advisory
→
http://www.osvdb.org/2729Broken Link
→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/8906Broken Link · Exploit · Patch · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
http://www.texonet.com/advisories/TEXONET-20030908.txtBroken Link · URL Repurposed
→
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/13530Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://www.debian.org/security/2003/dsa-396Broken Link
→
http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=106729188224252&w=2Exploit · Mailing List
→
http://secunia.com/advisories/10092Broken Link · Patch · Vendor Advisory
→
http://www.osvdb.org/2729Broken Link
→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/8906Broken Link · Exploit · Patch · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
http://www.texonet.com/advisories/TEXONET-20030908.txtBroken Link · URL Repurposed
→
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/13530Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://www.debian.org/security/2003/dsa-396Broken Link

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2003-0899
CVSS Score9.8 / 10
SeverityCRITICAL
WeaknessCWE-131
CISA KEVNo
ExploitPOC
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedNov 3, 2003

Related CVEs (CWE-131)

CVE-2021-0254
9.8
CVE-2021-38423
9.8
CVE-2021-38435
9.8
CVE-2021-27378
9.8
CVE-2019-10500
9.8
CVE-2021-21824
9.8

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2003-0899 in threat intel feeds
  • →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.
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