# CVE-2002-0246: Memory corruption in n/a

> Local attackers can gain privileges by exploiting a format string vulnerability in UnixWare message catalog functions via environment variables.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`AV:L/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:** 2 Apr 2003
- **Updated:** 8 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4fhx-m3mx-qm88

## What is CVE-2002-0246?

CVE-2002-0246 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 2 Apr 2003. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Format string vulnerability in the message catalog library functions in UnixWare 7.1.1 allows local users to gain privileges by modifying the LC_MESSAGE environment variable to read other message catalogs containing format strings from setuid programs such as vxprint.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2002-0246?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Caldera Unixware.

## How do I fix CVE-2002-0246?

No fix has been published for CVE-2002-0246 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2002-0246 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2002-0246 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Caldera UnixWare 7.1.1 - Message Catalog Environment Variable Format String (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2001-1164](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2001-1164/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2002-0105](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-0105/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2001-1576](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2001-1576/): Memory corruption in n/a (medium 4.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2002-0246 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2002-0246 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 2 Apr 2003. 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-2002-0246 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-2002-0246/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-0246/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2002-0246
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2002-0246
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2002-0246

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-0246/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.