CVE-2002-1561Windows 2000 Vulnerability
The RPC component in Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0, and Windows XP allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (disabled RPC service) via a malformed packet to the RPC Endpoint Mapper at TCP port 135, which triggers a null pointer dereference.
Published Apr 2, 2003 · Updated Apr 15, 2026
Key Facts
Routine patching- CVE-2002-1561 is a medium-severity vulnerability (CVSS 5.0 v2) affecting Windows 2000 (Microsoft), Windows 2000 Terminal Services (Microsoft), Windows Nt (Microsoft) and 1 more product.
- It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog. Public exploit code is available.
- EPSS estimates a 38% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- No fixed version is listed yet; check the vendor advisory for mitigations.
- Brandefense priority: routine patching, as no exploitation is known and its severity is moderate or low.
Scores
CVSS v2
5.0
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
EPSS (30-day exploit likelihood)
38%
Higher than 98.5% of all scored CVEs
Exploit maturity
Proof of concept
ATLAS score
42/100
Publication score, see How it works
Exploitation Verdict
KEV listed
Not listed
Federal due date
None
No federal due date
Ransomware use
Not reported
Attributed actors
None named
Exploit & Defence Guidance
Exploit maturity
Proof of concept
Public exploit code
4
Proof-of-concept links
In-the-wild evidence
0
Reports of active use
Advisories And Exploit References
Description
The RPC component in Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0, and Windows XP allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (disabled RPC service) via a malformed packet to the RPC Endpoint Mapper at TCP port 135, which triggers a null pointer dereference.
Affected Products
45 affected entries in total| Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 2000Microsoft | See advisory | n/a |
| Windows 2000 Terminal ServicesMicrosoft | See advisory | n/a |
| Windows NtMicrosoft | 4.0, 4.0-sp1, 4.0-sp2, 4.0-sp3, 4.0-sp4, 4.0-sp5, 4.0-sp6a, 4.0-sp6 | n/a |
| Windows XpMicrosoft | See advisory | n/a |
Timeline
Publicly disclosed
Apr 2, 2003
Last updated
Apr 15, 2026
References
- advisory20021018 [Immunity, Inc.]Vulnerability: RPC Service DoS (port 135/tcp) onWindows 2000 SP3
- patch6005
- exploitExploitDB-21951
- exploitExploitDB-21952
- exploitExploitDB-21953
FAQ
Common Questions.
The RPC component in Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0, and Windows XP allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (disabled RPC service) via a malformed packet to the RPC Endpoint Mapper at TCP port 135, which triggers a null pointer dereference.
Affected: Windows 2000 (Microsoft); Windows 2000 Terminal Services (Microsoft); Windows Nt (Microsoft) versions 4.0, 4.0-sp1, 4.0-sp2, 4.0-sp3, 4.0-sp4, 4.0-sp5, 4.0-sp6a, 4.0-sp6, among others. The full list is in the CVE brief.
It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog.
No, it is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Public exploit code is available.
No fixed version is listed yet; check the vendor advisory for mitigations.
Brandefense priority: routine patching, as no exploitation is known and its severity is moderate or low.
Is CVE-2002-1561 On Your Attack Surface?
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