# CVE-2003-0390: Memory corruption in n/a

> Local attackers can execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges via buffer overflows in the OPT shared library when used in setuid programs.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.6 (`AV:L/AC:L/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:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 10 Jun 2003
- **Updated:** 8 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2003-0390, GHSA-8hqj-7rmc-v58x

## What is CVE-2003-0390?

CVE-2003-0390 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 10 Jun 2003. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Multiple buffer overflows in Options Parsing Tool (OPT) shared library 3.18 and earlier, when used in setuid programs, may allow local users to execute arbitrary code via long command line options that are fed into macros such as opt_warn_2, as used in functions such as opt_atoi.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2003-0390?

It affects 1 product.


Products: James Theiler Opt.

## How do I fix CVE-2003-0390?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2003-0390 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2003-0390 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Libopt.a 3.1x - Error Logging Buffer Overflow (1) (exploitdb)
- Libopt.a 3.1x - Error Logging Buffer Overflow (2) (exploitdb)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2003-0390 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2003-0390 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 10 Jun 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-2003-0390 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-2003-0390/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2003-0390/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2003-0390
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2003-0390
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2003-0390

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2003-0390/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.