# CVE-2000-0409: Path traversal in n/a

> Local attackers can overwrite files by exploiting symlink following during certificate import in Netscape browser.

- **Severity:** Low 3.7 (`AV:L/AC:H/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 12 Jul 2000
- **Updated:** 8 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-m59v-mjv4-379q

## What is CVE-2000-0409?

CVE-2000-0409 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 12 Jul 2000. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Netscape 4.73 and earlier follows symlinks when it imports a new certificate, which allows local users to overwrite files of the user importing the certificate.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2000-0409?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Netscape Communicator.

## How do I fix CVE-2000-0409?

No fix has been published for CVE-2000-0409 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2000-0409 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2000-0409 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Netscape Communicator 4.5/4.51/4.6/4.61/4.7/4.72/4.73 - '/tmp' Symlink (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2002-2248](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-2248/): Buffer overflow in the sun.awt.windows.WDefaultFontCharset Java class implementation in Netscape 4.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbi (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-1999-1189](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-1999-1189/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2001-0596](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2001-0596/): Cross-site scripting in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-1999-1357](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-1999-1357/): Cross-site scripting in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2000-1187](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2000-1187/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2000-0409 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2000-0409 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 12 Jul 2000. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2000-0409 exists.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2000-0409/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2000-0409/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2000-0409
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2000-0409
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2000-0409

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2000-0409/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.