RHSA-2003:310

Vulnerability from csaf_redhat - Published: 2003-11-12 14:06 - Updated: 2025-11-21 17:26
Summary
Red Hat Security Advisory: fileutils security update
Severity
Important
Notes
Topic: Updated fileutils packages that close a potential denial of service vulnerability are now available.
Details: The fileutils package contains several basic system utilities. One of these utilities is the "ls" program, which is used to list information about files and directories. Georgi Guninski discovered a memory starvation denial of service vulnerability in the ls program. It is possible to make ls allocate a huge amount of memory by specifying certain command line arguments. This vulnerability is remotely exploitable through services like wu-ftpd, which pass user arguments to ls. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CAN-2003-0854 to this issue. A non-exploitable integer overflow in ls has been discovered. It is possible to make ls crash by specifying certain command line arguments. This vulnerability is remotely exploitable through services like wu-ftpd, which pass user arguments to ls. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CAN-2003-0853 to this issue. Users are advised to update to these erratum packages, which contain backported security patches that correct these vulnerabilities. These packages also add support for the O_DIRECT flag, which controls the use of synchronous I/O on file systems such as OCFS.
Terms of Use: This content is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). If you distribute this content, or a modified version of it, you must provide attribution to Red Hat Inc. and provide a link to the original.
CVE-2003-0853

An integer overflow in ls in the fileutils or coreutils packages may allow local users to cause a denial of service or execute arbitrary code via a large -w value, which could be remotely exploited via applications that use ls, such as wu-ftpd.

Affected products
Product Identifier Version Remediation
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS (Advanced Server) version 2.1
Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux
 cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:2.1::as —
Vendor Fix fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 2.1
Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux
 cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:2.1::es —
Vendor Fix fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 2.1
Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux
 cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:2.1::ws —
Vendor Fix fix
Red Hat Linux Advanced Workstation 2.1
Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux
 cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:2.1::aw —
Vendor Fix fix
Threats
Impact Moderate
CVE-2003-0854

ls in the fileutils or coreutils packages allows local users to consume a large amount of memory via a large -w value, which can be remotely exploited via applications that use ls, such as wu-ftpd.

Affected products
Fixed 4 products, the same list as for CVE-2003-0853
Threats
Impact Important
References
To clipboard 

{
  "document": {
    "aggregate_severity": {
      "namespace": "https://access.redhat.com/security/updates/classification/",
      "text": "Important"
    },
    "category": "csaf_security_advisory",
    "csaf_version": "2.0",
    "distribution": {
      "text": "Copyright \u00a9 Red Hat, Inc. All rights reserved.",
      "tlp": {
        "label": "WHITE",
        "url": "https://www.first.org/tlp/"
      }
    },
    "lang": "en",
    "notes": [
      {
        "category": "summary",
        "text": "Updated fileutils packages that close a potential denial of service\nvulnerability are now available.",
        "title": "Topic"
      },
      {
        "category": "general",
        "text": "The fileutils package contains several basic system utilities. One of\nthese utilities is the \"ls\" program, which is used to list information\nabout files and directories. \n\nGeorgi Guninski discovered a memory starvation denial of service\nvulnerability in the ls program.  It is possible to make ls allocate a\nhuge amount of memory by specifying certain command line arguments.  This\nvulnerability is remotely exploitable through services like wu-ftpd, which\npass user arguments to ls.  The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures\nproject (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CAN-2003-0854 to this issue.\n\nA non-exploitable integer overflow in ls has been discovered.  It is\npossible to make ls crash by specifying certain command line arguments. \nThis vulnerability is remotely exploitable through services like wu-ftpd,\nwhich pass user arguments to ls.  The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures\nproject (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CAN-2003-0853 to this issue.\n\nUsers are advised to update to these erratum packages, which contain\nbackported security patches that correct these vulnerabilities.\n\nThese packages also add support for the O_DIRECT flag, which controls the\nuse of synchronous I/O on file systems such as OCFS.",
        "title": "Details"
      },
      {
        "category": "legal_disclaimer",
        "text": "This content is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). If you distribute this content, or a modified version of it, you must provide attribution to Red Hat Inc. and provide a link to the original.",
        "title": "Terms of Use"
      }
    ],
    "publisher": {
      "category": "vendor",
      "contact_details": "https://access.redhat.com/security/team/contact/",
      "issuing_authority": "Red Hat Product Security is responsible for vulnerability handling across all Red Hat products and services.",
      "name": "Red Hat Product Security",
      "namespace": "https://www.redhat.com"
    },
    "references": [
      {
        "category": "self",
        "summary": "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2003:310",
        "url": "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2003:310"
      },
      {
        "category": "external",
        "summary": "https://access.redhat.com/security/updates/classification/#important",
        "url": "https://access.redhat.com/security/updates/classification/#important"
      },
      {
        "category": "external",
        "summary": "102006",
        "url": "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=102006"
      },
      {
        "category": "external",
        "summary": "107821",
        "url": "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=107821"
      },
      {
        "category": "self",
        "summary": "Canonical URL",
        "url": "https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/advisories/2003/rhsa-2003_310.json"
      }
    ],
    "title": "Red Hat Security Advisory: fileutils security update",
    "tracking": {
      "current_release_date": "2025-11-21T17:26:36+00:00",
      "generator": {
        "date": "2025-11-21T17:26:36+00:00",
        "engine": {
          "name": "Red Hat SDEngine",
          "version": "4.6.12"
        }
      },
      "id": "RHSA-2003:310",
      "initial_release_date": "2003-11-12T14:06:00+00:00",
      "revision_history": [
        {
          "date": "2003-11-12T14:06:00+00:00",
          "number": "1",
          "summary": "Initial version"
        },
        {
          "date": "2003-11-12T00:00:00+00:00",
          "number": "2",
          "summary": "Last updated version"
        },
        {
          "date": "2025-11-21T17:26:36+00:00",
          "number": "3",
          "summary": "Last generated version"
        }
      ],
      "status": "final",
      "version": "3"
    }
  },
  "product_tree": {
    "branches": [
      {
        "branches": [
          {
            "branches": [
              {
                "category": "product_name",
                "name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS (Advanced Server) version 2.1 ",
                "product": {
                  "name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS (Advanced Server) version 2.1 ",
                  "product_id": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS (Advanced Server) version 2.1 ",
                  "product_identification_helper": {
                    "cpe": "cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:2.1::as"
                  }
                }
              },
              {
                "category": "product_name",
                "name": "Red Hat Linux Advanced Workstation 2.1",
                "product": {
                  "name": "Red Hat Linux Advanced Workstation 2.1",
                  "product_id": "Red Hat Linux Advanced Workstation 2.1",
                  "product_identification_helper": {
                    "cpe": "cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:2.1::aw"
                  }
                }
              },
              {
                "category": "product_name",
                "name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 2.1",
                "product": {
                  "name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 2.1",
                  "product_id": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 2.1",
                  "product_identification_helper": {
                    "cpe": "cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:2.1::es"
                  }
                }
              },
              {
                "category": "product_name",
                "name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 2.1",
                "product": {
                  "name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 2.1",
                  "product_id": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 2.1",
                  "product_identification_helper": {
                    "cpe": "cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:2.1::ws"
                  }
                }
              }
            ],
            "category": "product_family",
            "name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux"
          }
        ],
        "category": "vendor",
        "name": "Red Hat"
      }
    ]
  },
  "vulnerabilities": [
    {
      "cve": "CVE-2003-0853",
      "ids": [
        {
          "system_name": "Red Hat Bugzilla ID",
          "text": "1617091"
        }
      ],
      "notes": [
        {
          "category": "description",
          "text": "An integer overflow in ls in the fileutils or coreutils packages may allow local users to cause a denial of service or execute arbitrary code via a large -w value, which could be remotely exploited via applications that use ls, such as wu-ftpd.",
          "title": "Vulnerability description"
        },
        {
          "category": "summary",
          "text": "security flaw",
          "title": "Vulnerability summary"
        }
      ],
      "product_status": {
        "fixed": [
          "Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS (Advanced Server) version 2.1 ",
          "Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 2.1",
          "Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 2.1",
          "Red Hat Linux Advanced Workstation 2.1"
        ]
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "category": "self",
          "summary": "Canonical URL",
          "url": "https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2003-0853"
        },
        {
          "category": "external",
          "summary": "RHBZ#1617091",
          "url": "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1617091"
        },
        {
          "category": "external",
          "summary": "https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2003-0853",
          "url": "https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2003-0853"
        },
        {
          "category": "external",
          "summary": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2003-0853",
          "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2003-0853"
        }
      ],
      "release_date": "2003-10-15T00:00:00+00:00",
      "remediations": [
        {
          "category": "vendor_fix",
          "date": "2003-11-12T14:06:00+00:00",
          "details": "Before applying this update, make sure all previously released errata\nrelevant to your system have been applied.\n\nTo update all RPMs for your particular architecture, run:\n\nrpm -Fvh [filenames]\n\nwhere [filenames] is a list of the RPMs you wish to upgrade.  Only those\nRPMs which are currently installed will be updated.  Those RPMs which are\nnot installed but included in the list will not be updated.  Note that you\ncan also use wildcards (*.rpm) if your current directory *only* contains the\ndesired RPMs.\n\nPlease note that this update is also available via Red Hat Network.  Many\npeople find this an easier way to apply updates.  To use Red Hat Network,\nlaunch the Red Hat Update Agent with the following command:\n\nup2date\n\nThis will start an interactive process that will result in the appropriate\nRPMs being upgraded on your system.\n\nIf up2date fails to connect to Red Hat Network due to SSL Certificate \nErrors, you need to install a version of the up2date client with an updated \ncertificate.  The latest version of up2date is available from the Red Hat \nFTP site and may also be downloaded directly from the RHN website:\n\nhttps://rhn.redhat.com/help/latest-up2date.pxt",
          "product_ids": [
            "Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS (Advanced Server) version 2.1 ",
            "Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 2.1",
            "Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 2.1",
            "Red Hat Linux Advanced Workstation 2.1"
          ],
          "restart_required": {
            "category": "none"
          },
          "url": "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2003:310"
        }
      ],
      "threats": [
        {
          "category": "impact",
          "details": "Moderate"
        }
      ],
      "title": "security flaw"
    },
    {
      "cve": "CVE-2003-0854",
      "ids": [
        {
          "system_name": "Red Hat Bugzilla ID",
          "text": "1617092"
        }
      ],
      "notes": [
        {
          "category": "description",
          "text": "ls in the fileutils or coreutils packages allows local users to consume a large amount of memory via a large -w value, which can be remotely exploited via applications that use ls, such as wu-ftpd.",
          "title": "Vulnerability description"
        },
        {
          "category": "summary",
          "text": "security flaw",
          "title": "Vulnerability summary"
        }
      ],
      "product_status": {
        "fixed": [
          "Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS (Advanced Server) version 2.1 ",
          "Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 2.1",
          "Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 2.1",
          "Red Hat Linux Advanced Workstation 2.1"
        ]
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "category": "self",
          "summary": "Canonical URL",
          "url": "https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2003-0854"
        },
        {
          "category": "external",
          "summary": "RHBZ#1617092",
          "url": "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1617092"
        },
        {
          "category": "external",
          "summary": "https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2003-0854",
          "url": "https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2003-0854"
        },
        {
          "category": "external",
          "summary": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2003-0854",
          "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2003-0854"
        }
      ],
      "release_date": "2003-10-15T00:00:00+00:00",
      "remediations": [
        {
          "category": "vendor_fix",
          "date": "2003-11-12T14:06:00+00:00",
          "details": "Before applying this update, make sure all previously released errata\nrelevant to your system have been applied.\n\nTo update all RPMs for your particular architecture, run:\n\nrpm -Fvh [filenames]\n\nwhere [filenames] is a list of the RPMs you wish to upgrade.  Only those\nRPMs which are currently installed will be updated.  Those RPMs which are\nnot installed but included in the list will not be updated.  Note that you\ncan also use wildcards (*.rpm) if your current directory *only* contains the\ndesired RPMs.\n\nPlease note that this update is also available via Red Hat Network.  Many\npeople find this an easier way to apply updates.  To use Red Hat Network,\nlaunch the Red Hat Update Agent with the following command:\n\nup2date\n\nThis will start an interactive process that will result in the appropriate\nRPMs being upgraded on your system.\n\nIf up2date fails to connect to Red Hat Network due to SSL Certificate \nErrors, you need to install a version of the up2date client with an updated \ncertificate.  The latest version of up2date is available from the Red Hat \nFTP site and may also be downloaded directly from the RHN website:\n\nhttps://rhn.redhat.com/help/latest-up2date.pxt",
          "product_ids": [
            "Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS (Advanced Server) version 2.1 ",
            "Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 2.1",
            "Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 2.1",
            "Red Hat Linux Advanced Workstation 2.1"
          ],
          "restart_required": {
            "category": "none"
          },
          "url": "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2003:310"
        }
      ],
      "threats": [
        {
          "category": "impact",
          "details": "Important"
        }
      ],
      "title": "security flaw"
    }
  ]
}



Log in or create an account to share your comment.




Tags
Taxonomy of the tags.




Drag nodes to arrange them. Double-click a related vulnerability to open it, or a source to visit its link. The Physics button on the left tunes the layout and the simulation; the legend at the bottom left hides or shows nodes by kind and by sighting type.

Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.

Sightings

Author Source Type Date Other

Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Vulnerability timeline

Sightings and recorded dates, grouped by day · UTC

JSON
How durations are calculated

Following the VTEM framework (Black Hat USA 2015), time to patch starts when the vendor or a coordinator was informed, total time to patch at discovery, and disclosure to patch at public disclosure; vendor response time runs from the report to its acknowledgement. Time to exploit and time unpatched start at the earliest discovery or report, falling back to public disclosure. Unpatched time ends at the first recorded patch, or the calculation time when no patch is recorded. Exploitation to patch shows the interval between those two events; a published proof of concept is a public exploit, not exploitation.

Each result shows its source dates. A negative interval means the end event came first; when date-only inputs leave the order open, the result says so. Date-only inputs are approximate. The earliest evidence wins: KEV report dates and sightings are labelled as such. Records describing another vulnerability are listed but never calculated from, and a PoC alone does not establish exploitation. Missing patch evidence does not prove that no patch exists. Filters below change the event list only.

Loading timeline…




    Related by attack behaviour

    Vulnerabilities whose description is nearest to this one in the vector space of the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-biencoder model. This is a similarity search over the bi-encoder space (plain cosine), not a classification, and it has no measured accuracy.