# CVE-2000-0844: Code injection in n/a

> Local attackers can execute arbitrary commands via format string vulnerabilities in Unix locale functions like gettext and catopen.

- **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 22 Jan 2001
- **Updated:** 8 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** CVE-2003-0090, GHSA-r7p8-7w63-3m9v

## What is CVE-2000-0844?

CVE-2000-0844 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Conectiva Linux, published on 22 Jan 2001. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Some functions that implement the locale subsystem on Unix do not  properly cleanse user-injected format strings, which allows local attackers to execute arbitrary commands via functions such as gettext and catopen.

Weakness: CWE-264

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2000-0844?

It affects 16 products.


Products: Caldera Openlinux, Caldera Openlinux Ebuilder, Caldera Openlinux Eserver, Conectiva Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Ibm Aix, Immunix Immunix, Mandrakesoft Mandrake Linux, Redhat Linux, Sgi Irix, Slackware Slackware Linux, Sun Solaris, Sun Sunos, Suse Suse Linux, Trustix Secure Linux, Turbolinux Turbolinux.

## How do I fix CVE-2000-0844?

No fix has been published for CVE-2000-0844 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2000-0844 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2000-0844 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Immunix OS 6.2 - LC glibc format string (exploitdb)
- Libc locale - Local Privilege Escalation (1) (exploitdb)
- Libc locale - Local Privilege Escalation (2) (exploitdb)
- RedHat 6 GLIBC/locale - Subsystem Format String (exploitdb)
- Solaris 2.6/7.0 'eject' locale - Subsystem Format String (exploitdb)
- Solaris 2.6/7.0 /locale - Subsystem Format String (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Conectiva Linux

- [CVE-2001-0850](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2001-0850/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2000-0917](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2000-0917/): Code injection in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2000-0374](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2000-0374/): Misconfiguration in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2000-0370](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2000-0370/): Command injection in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2000-0491](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2000-0491/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2000-0844 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2000-0844 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Conectiva Linux, published on 22 Jan 2001. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2000-0844 exists.

Affected product: Conectiva Linux. 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-2000-0844/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2000-0844/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2000-0844
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2000-0844
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2000-0844

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2000-0844/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.