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OpenSSLFramework / library

CVE-2002-0656

HIGH · 7.5 CVSS v2.0 Published 2002-08-12
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
84/100
Remediation priority · High
High EPSS Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

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 · unedited
Buffer overflows in OpenSSL 0.9.6d and earlier, and 0.9.7-beta2 and earlier, allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via (1) a large client master key in SSL2 or (2) a large session ID in SSL3.

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 confidence

OpenSSL versions 0.9.6d and earlier, and 0.9.7-beta2 and earlier contain buffer overflow vulnerabilities in SSL2 and SSL3 protocol handling. Attackers can send a large client master key (SSL2) or large session ID (SSL3) to trigger a buffer overflow and execute arbitrary code remotely.

MitigationUpgrade to OpenSSL 0.9.6e or later (or 0.9.7-beta3 or later), which contains the patched version addressing these buffer overflows. This is a critical remote code execution vulnerability requiring immediate remediation.

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
OpenSSLFramework / library
Affected:= 0.9.1c= 0.9.2b= 0.9.3= 0.9.4= 0.9.5= 0.9.5a= 0.9.6= 0.9.6a= 0.9.6b= 0.9.6c= 0.9.6d= 0.9.7
HTTP ServerWeb server / proxy
Affected:= 9.0.1= 9.2.0
Application ServerApplication
Affected:all versions= 1.0.2= 1.0.2.1s= 1.0.2.2
Corporate Time Outlook ConnectorApplication
Affected:= 3.1= 3.1.1= 3.1.2= 3.3
Mac Os XOperating system
Affected:= 10.0= 10.0.1= 10.0.2= 10.0.3= 10.0.4= 10.1= 10.1.1= 10.1.2= 10.1.3= 10.1.4= 10.1.5

CVSS 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
Partial
Availability
Partial

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

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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Check installed OpenSSL version
    Run `openssl version` to display the installed OpenSSL version number
    Affected if The version displayed is 0.9.6d or earlier, or 0.9.7-beta2 or earlier (versions 0.9.1c through 0.9.6d, and any 0.9.7 beta version up to beta2)
  2. Verify SSL2 protocol is enabled
    Check the OpenSSL configuration file (commonly /etc/ssl/openssl.cnf or /etc/ssh/sshd_config for SSL settings) or run `openssl s_client -connect localhost:443 -ssl2` to test if SSL2 connections are accepted
    Affected if SSL2 is enabled and the OpenSSL version is in the affected range (this protocol is disabled by default in later versions but may be manually enabled)
  3. Verify SSL3 protocol is enabled
    Run `openssl s_client -connect localhost:443 -ssl3` to test if SSL3 connections are accepted, or inspect the OpenSSL configuration for SSL3 enablement
    Affected if SSL3 is enabled and the OpenSSL version is in the affected range (SSL3 may be manually enabled in older configurations)
  4. Check Oracle HTTP Server or Application Server OpenSSL linkage
    For Oracle HTTP Server (versions 9.0.1, 9.2.0) or Oracle Application Server (all versions, 1.0.2, 1.0.2.1s, 1.0.2.2), identify the linked OpenSSL library by running `ldd` on the httpd binary or checking Oracle inventory files
    Affected if The Oracle product links to an OpenSSL library version in the affected range (0.9.6d or earlier, or 0.9.7-beta2 or earlier)
  5. Check Apple Mac OS X version
    Run `sw_vers` or select About This Mac from the Apple menu to display the macOS version number
    Affected if The Mac OS X version is 10.0 through 10.1.5 (any version from 10.0 to 10.1.5 inclusive)

You are affected if your system runs OpenSSL 0.9.6d or earlier (or 0.9.7-beta2 or earlier), or uses Oracle products or Mac OS X versions listed as affected, AND has SSL2 or SSL3 protocol enabled for incoming connections.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Upgrade to OpenSSL 0.9.6e or later (or 0.9.7-beta3 or later), which contains the patched version addressing these buffer overflows. This is a critical remote code execution vulnerability requiring immediate remediation.

Fix this in OpenSSL Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation6.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing8.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
26.0 hours of engineering $4,560
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2002-0656 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • 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