# CVE-2002-0059: Use after free in n/a

> A double-free vulnerability in zlib allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via malformed compression data.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 25 Jun 2002
- **Updated:** 8 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8894-p74v-5485

## What is CVE-2002-0059?

CVE-2002-0059 is a critical use after free vulnerability in n/a, published on 25 Jun 2002. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The decompression algorithm in zlib 1.1.3 and earlier, as used in many different utilities and packages, causes inflateEnd to release certain memory more than once (a "double free"), which may allow local and remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a block of malformed compression data.

Weakness: CWE-415 (Double Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2002-0059?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Zlib Zlib.

## How do I fix CVE-2002-0059?

No fix has been published for CVE-2002-0059 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2002-0059 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2002-0059 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2005-2096](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-2096/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2003-0107](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2003-0107/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2005-1849](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-1849/): Denial of service in n/a (medium 5.0)
- [CVE-2026-22184](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-22184/): zlib <= 1.3.1.2 untgz Global Buffer Overflow in TGZfname() (medium 4.6)
- [CVE-2026-27171](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-27171/): Denial of service in zlib (low 2.9)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2002-0059 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2002-0059 is a critical use after free vulnerability in n/a, published on 25 Jun 2002. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2002-0059 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2002-0059/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-0059/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2002-0059
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2002-0059
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2002-0059

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-0059/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.