HTTP ServerWeb server / proxy · Apache
CVE-2002-0654
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedApache 2.0 through 2.0.39 on Windows, OS2, and Netware allows remote attackers to determine the full pathname of the server via (1) a request for a .var file, which leaks the pathname in the resulting error message, or (2) via an error message that occurs when a script (child process) cannot be invoked.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceApache 2.0 through 2.0.39 on Windows, OS2, and Netware platforms contains an information disclosure vulnerability where remote attackers can determine the full server pathname via (1) requests for .var files that leak the path in error messages, or (2) error messages generated when child process script invocations fail.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
HTTP ServerWeb server / proxy
= 2.0= 2.0.28= 2.0.32= 2.0.34= 2.0.35= 2.0.36= 2.0.37= 2.0.38= 2.0.39CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Partial
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify Apache versionRun 'apachectl -v' or 'httpd -v' to get the installed version numberAffected if Version is 2.0.x and falls within 2.0 through 2.0.39 inclusive
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Confirm operating system platformCheck the OS type (Windows, OS2, or Netware) using 'uname' or system information commandsAffected if Server is running on Windows, OS2, or Netware platforms - the vulnerability does not apply to Unix/Linux
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Verify .var handler is accessibleSend an HTTP request for a non-existent .var file (e.g., GET /nonexistent.var) and examine the error response for full filesystem pathsAffected if Error messages contain absolute filesystem paths revealing the server's installation directory
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Test CGI/script error handlingTrigger a CGI script failure or invoke a non-existent script and inspect the resulting error message for path disclosureAffected if Error messages from failed script invocations expose the full server path
A server is affected if it runs Apache 2.0.39 or earlier on Windows, OS2, or Netware AND returns detailed error messages that expose absolute filesystem paths.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataUpgrade Apache to version 2.0.40 or later, which addresses the path disclosure in error messages. Alternatively, ensure detailed error messages are not returned to remote clients by configuring custom error handlers appropriately.
Fix this in HTTP Server
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,560.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2002-0654 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2002-0654 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data