Metadirectory ServicesApplication · Microsoft

CVE-2002-0697

HIGH · 10.0 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 →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
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
Microsoft Metadirectory Services (MMS) 2.2 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and modify sensitive data by using an LDAP client to directly connect to MMS and bypass the checks for MMS credentials.

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

Microsoft Metadirectory Services (MMS) 2.2 contains an authentication bypass vulnerability where remote attackers can use a direct LDAP client connection to bypass MMS credential checks and modify sensitive directory data without proper authentication.

MitigationSince MMS 2.2 is a legacy product from 2002 likely beyond mainstream support, the primary remediation is to decommission or replace with a supported directory services solution; alternatively, implement network segmentation and LDAP access controls to restrict unauthorized direct connections.

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
Metadirectory ServicesApplication
Affected:= 2.2

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
Complete
Integrity
Complete
Availability
Complete

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

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. Confirm MMS 2.2 installation
    Check running services or installed programs for Microsoft Metadirectory Services version 2.2. On Windows, examine Add/Remove Programs or the services list for 'Microsoft Metadirectory Services' or 'MMS' entry showing version 2.2.
    Affected if Microsoft Metadirectory Services version 2.2 is installed and running on the system
  2. Verify LDAP service availability
    Check if the LDAP service (typically port 389 or 636 for SSL) is listening on the server where MMS is installed. Use netstat or port scanning tools to enumerate open LDAP ports.
    Affected if LDAP ports are open and listening on the MMS server
  3. Assess LDAP direct connection exposure
    Determine if external or unauthorized LDAP client connections are permitted to the MMS server. Review network firewall rules, LDAP bind settings, and access control lists that govern who can initiate direct LDAP connections to the directory.
    Affected if The LDAP service is network-accessible without proper network segmentation or access restrictions
  4. Check LDAP authentication configuration
    Review the MMS LDAP configuration to determine whether it permits anonymous binds or allows direct connections that bypass MMS credential verification mechanisms.
    Affected if LDAP configuration allows unauthenticated or credential-checking-bypassing connections

The environment is affected if Microsoft Metadirectory Services 2.2 is installed with an exposed LDAP service that permits direct connections without proper MMS credential validation.

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

Since MMS 2.2 is a legacy product from 2002 likely beyond mainstream support, the primary remediation is to decommission or replace with a supported directory services solution; alternatively, implement network segmentation and LDAP access controls to restrict unauthorized direct connections.

Fix this in Metadirectory Services Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation8.0 h
  • Implementation24.0 h
  • Testing12.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
48.0 hours of engineering $8,440
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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-2002-0697 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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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
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