# CVE-2004-2303: Misconfiguration in n/a

> Local users can read or overwrite files due to insecure permissions in the setuid root mformat utility.

- **Severity:** Low 3.6 (`AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N`)
- **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:** 16 Aug 2005
- **Updated:** 8 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2004-2303, GHSA-5hvr-27m8-r592

## What is CVE-2004-2303?

CVE-2004-2303 is a low-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 16 Aug 2005. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

MTools Mformat before 3.9.9, when installed setuid root, creates files with world-readable and world-writable permissions, which allows local users to read and overwrite files.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2004-2303?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Mtools Mformat.

## How do I fix CVE-2004-2303?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2004-2303 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2004-2303 exists.

Public exploit code:

- MTools 3.9.x - 'MFormat' Local Privilege Escalation (exploitdb)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2004-2303 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2004-2303 is a low-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 16 Aug 2005. 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-2004-2303 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-2004-2303/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-2303/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2004-2303
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2004-2303
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2004-2303

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-2303/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.