CVE-2003-0161Sendmail Vulnerability
The prescan() function in the address parser (parseaddr.c) in Sendmail before 8.12.9 does not properly handle certain conversions from char and int types, which can cause a length check to be disabled when Sendmail misinterprets an input value as a special "NOCHAR" control…
Published Apr 2, 2003 · Updated Aug 4, 2026 · Also known as DEBIAN-CVE-2003-0161, DSA-278, DSA-290
Key Facts
Patch immediately- CVE-2003-0161 is a critical-severity vulnerability (CVSS 10.0 v2) affecting Sendmail, Sendmail Switch, Tru64 (Compaq) and 7 more products.
- It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog. Public exploit code is available.
- EPSS estimates a 39% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- Fixed versions are available, including Sendmail 8.12.3-6.3, Sendmail 8.12.9-1, sendmail-wide 8.12.3+3.5Wbeta-5.4.
- Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because public exploit code exists for a high-severity flaw.
Scores
CVSS v2
10.0
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
EPSS (30-day exploit likelihood)
39%
Higher than 98.5% of all scored CVEs
Exploit maturity
Proof of concept
ATLAS score
50/100
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
2
Proof-of-concept links
In-the-wild evidence
0
Reports of active use
Advisories And Exploit References
- advisoryhttps://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2003-0161
- advisoryRHSA-2003:120
- advisoryRHSA-2003:121
- advisoryRHSA-2003:227
- patchCA-2003-12
- patchRHSA-2003:120
Description
The prescan() function in the address parser (parseaddr.c) in Sendmail before 8.12.9 does not properly handle certain conversions from char and int types, which can cause a length check to be disabled when Sendmail misinterprets an input value as a special "NOCHAR" control value, allowing attackers to cause a denial of service and possibly execute arbitrary code via a buffer overflow attack using messages, a different vulnerability than CVE-2002-1337.
Affected Products
123 affected entries in total| Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| SendmailSendmail | 2.6, 2.6.1, 2.6.2, 3.0, 3.0.1, 3.0.2, 3.0.3, 8.10 | 8.12.9-1 |
| Sendmail SwitchSendmail | 2.1, 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3, 2.1.4, 2.1.5, 2.2, 2.2.1 | n/a |
| Tru64Compaq | 4.0b, 4.0d, 4.0d_pk9_bl17, 4.0f, 4.0f_pk6_bl17, 4.0f_pk7_bl18, 4.0g, 4.0g_pk3_bl17 | n/a |
| Hp-UxHp | 10.00, 10.01, 10.08, 10.09, 10.10, 10.16, 10.20, 10.24 | n/a |
| Hp-Ux Series 700Hp | 10.20 | n/a |
Patched Releases
Sendmail
8.12.3-6.3, 8.12.9-1
sendmail-wide
8.12.3+3.5Wbeta-5.4
Timeline
Publicly disclosed
Apr 2, 2003
Last updated
Aug 4, 2026
References
- advisorysecurity-tracker.debian.org · CVE-2003-0161
- advisoryRHSA-2003:120
- advisoryRHSA-2003:121
- advisoryRHSA-2003:227
- patchCA-2003-12
FAQ
Common Questions.
The prescan() function in the address parser (parseaddr.c) in Sendmail before 8.12.9 does not properly handle certain conversions from char and int types, which can cause a length check to be disabled when Sendmail misinterprets an input value as a special "NOCHAR" control value, allowing attackers to cause a denial o…
Affected: Sendmail versions 2.6, 2.6.1, 2.6.2, 3.0, 3.0.1, 3.0.2, 3.0.3, 8.10; Sendmail Switch versions 2.1, 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3, 2.1.4, 2.1.5, 2.2, 2.2.1; Tru64 (Compaq) versions 4.0b, 4.0d, 4.0d_pk9_bl17, 4.0f, 4.0f_pk6_bl17, 4.0f_pk7_bl18, 4.0g, 4.0g_pk3_bl17, 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.
Fixed versions are available, including Sendmail 8.12.3-6.3, Sendmail 8.12.9-1, sendmail-wide 8.12.3+3.5Wbeta-5.4.
Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because public exploit code exists for a high-severity flaw.
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