CVE-2000-0803: Critical severity GNU groff vulnerability

Published Dec 19, 2000
·
Updated

GNU Groff uses the current working directory to find a device description file, which allows a local user to gain additional privileges by including a malicious postpro directive in the description file, which is executed when another user runs groff.

Affected Software

1 affected component
GNU groff<1.17

Event History

Dec 19, 2000
CVE Published
05:00 AM
May 7, 2001
CVE Published
via MITRE·08:00 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·08:00 AM
Description
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2000-0803?

CVE-2000-0803 is classified as a local privilege escalation vulnerability.

2

How does CVE-2000-0803 affect GNU Groff?

CVE-2000-0803 allows a local user to gain additional privileges by executing a malicious postpro directive in a device description file.

3

What versions of GNU Groff are affected by CVE-2000-0803?

CVE-2000-0803 affects GNU Groff versions prior to 1.17.

4

How can I mitigate CVE-2000-0803?

To mitigate CVE-2000-0803, ensure that only trusted users have access to the current working directory when executing GNU Groff.

5

Is there a patch available for CVE-2000-0803?

There is no specific patch for CVE-2000-0803, but upgrading to a version of GNU Groff later than 1.17 resolves the issue.

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