# CVE-2002-0688: ZCatalog plug-in for Zope allows anonymous users to bypass access restrictions

> Anonymous users can bypass access restrictions in Zope catalog indexes to call arbitrary methods, potentially leading to privilege escalation or code execution.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 2 Apr 2003
- **Updated:** 8 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DSA-490, GHSA-7944-h5rw-qmjx, PYSEC-2026-755

## What is CVE-2002-0688?

CVE-2002-0688 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 2 Apr 2003. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

ZCatalog plug-in index support capability for Zope 2.4.0 through 2.5.1 allows anonymous users and untrusted code to bypass access restrictions and call arbitrary methods of catalog indexes.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2002-0688?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including zope. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `zope` | PyPI | From 2.4.0 | 2.6.0 |
| `zope` | PyPI | From 2.4.0 | 2.6.0 |
| `zope` | PyPI | From 2.4.0 | 2.6.0 |

Products: Zope Zope.

## How do I fix CVE-2002-0688?

Upgrade zope to 2.6.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2002-0688 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2002-0688 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2000-0062](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2000-0062/): Zope DTML implementation Improper Authentication (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2021-32674](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32674/): Remote Code Execution via traversal in TAL expressions (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2000-1211](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2000-1211/): Zope does not properly perform security registration for legacy names (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2002-0170](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-0170/): Zope does not properly verify the access for objects with proxy roles (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2001-1227](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2001-1227/): Security feature bypass in n/a (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2002-0688 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2002-0688 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 2 Apr 2003. 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-2002-0688 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- zope (PyPI): affected from 2.4.0; fixed in 2.6.0
- zope (PyPI): affected from 2.4.0; fixed in 2.6.0
- zope (PyPI): affected from 2.4.0; fixed in 2.6.0

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-2002-0688/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-0688/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2002-0688
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2002-0688
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2002-0688

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-0688/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.