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NVD / CVE Program· CNA mitre

CVE-2003-0018: Linux kernel 2.4.10 through 2.4.21-pre4 does not properly handle the O_DIRECT feature, which allows local attackers with write privileges to…

LowCVSS 3.6 · v2.0—No exploit Fix available

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 14/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.36% (FIRST EPSS).
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: kernel-image-2.4.17-ia64 (Debian:3.0) kernel-image-2.4.17-ia64; kernel-image-2.4.18-1-alpha (Debian:3.0) 2.4.18-8; kernel-image-2.4.18-1-i386 (Debian:3.0) 2.4.18-9.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to kernel-image-2.4.17-ia64 (Debian:3.0) kernel-image-2.4.17-ia64; kernel-image-2.4.18-1-alpha (Debian:3.0) 2.4.18-8; kernel-image-2.4.18-1-i386 (Debian:3.0) 2.4.18-9 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

Linux kernel 2.4.10 through 2.4.21-pre4 does not properly handle the O_DIRECT feature, which allows local attackers with write privileges to read portions of previously deleted files, or cause file system corruption.

Published
Feb 19, 2003
Updated
Jun 16, 2026
EPSS
0.3% · 31th percentile
CWE
—

Report tools

JSON

Action score

14

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
14 / 40 · 3.6 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.3%

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

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  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
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  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
linuxlinux kernel

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • linux linux kernel2.4.10
  • linux linux kernel2.4.11
  • linux linux kernel2.4.12
  • linux linux kernel2.4.13
  • linux linux kernel2.4.14
  • linux linux kernel2.4.15
  • linux linux kernel2.4.16
  • linux linux kernel2.4.17
  • linux linux kernel2.4.18
  • linux linux kernel2.4.19

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:3.0kernel-image-2.4.17-ia64before kernel-image-2.4.17-ia64kernel-image-2.4.17-ia64
Debian:3.0kernel-image-2.4.18-1-alphabefore 2.4.18-82.4.18-8
Debian:3.0kernel-image-2.4.18-1-i386before 2.4.18-92.4.18-9
Debian:3.0kernel-image-2.4.18-i386bfbefore 2.4.18-5woody22.4.18-5woody2
Debian:3.0kernel-source-2.4.18before 2.4.18-112.4.18-11

Same product

linux: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2026-31431crypto: algif_aead - Revert to operating out-of-placeKEV
    90Now
  • CVE-2022-0847A flaw was found in the way the "flags" member of the new pipe buffer structure was lacking proper initialization in copy_page_to_iter_pipe…KEV
    89Now
  • CVE-2021-22555Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACEKEV
    85Now

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2002-1976Dec 31, 2002 · ifconfig, when used on the Linux kernel 2.2 and later, does not report when the network interface is in promiscuous mode if it was put in…
    8Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2002-2254Dec 31, 2002 · The experimental IP packet queuing feature in Netfilter / IPTables in Linux kernel 2.4 up to 2.4.19 and 2.5 up to 2.5.31, when a privileged…
    8Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2003-0127Mar 31, 2003 · The kernel module loader in Linux kernel 2.2.x before 2.2.25, and 2.4.x before 2.4.21, allows local users to gain root privileges by using…
    28Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
debian:kernel-image-2.4.17-ia64kernel-image-2.4.17-ia64 · Debian:3.0Package registry (OSV)
debian:kernel-image-2.4.18-1-alpha2.4.18-8 · Debian:3.0Package registry (OSV)
debian:kernel-image-2.4.18-1-i3862.4.18-9 · Debian:3.0Package registry (OSV)
debian:kernel-image-2.4.18-i386bf2.4.18-5woody2 · Debian:3.0Package registry (OSV)
debian:kernel-source-2.4.182.4.18-11 · Debian:3.0Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

Not on record for this CVE: EPSS history · patch commit or PR link · researcher credit · variant or chain candidate · public bounty program.

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
P · data can be read
Integrity
none
Availability
P · the service can be disrupted
Attack complexity
Low
Confidentiality impact
P
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
P

Weakness class (CWE)

—

CVSS vector

AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:P

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

References

Show all references (6 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records