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Darwin Streaming ServerApplication · Apple

CVE-2003-0052

MEDIUM · 5.0 CVSS v2.0 Published 2003-03-07
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
59/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
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
parse_xml.cgi in Apple Darwin Streaming Administration Server 4.1.2 and QuickTime Streaming Server 4.1.1 allows remote attackers to list arbitrary directories.

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 · moderate confidence

The parse_xml.cgi script in Apple Darwin Streaming Administration Server 4.1.2 and QuickTime Streaming Server 4.1.1 contains a path traversal vulnerability that allows remote attackers to list arbitrary directories on the server by manipulating input parameters passed to the CGI script.

MitigationUpgrade to patched versions of the streaming servers if available, or if the software is legacy/unsupported, disable the parse_xml.cgi script and implement web server-level path traversal filters to block malicious requests.

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
Darwin Streaming ServerApplication
Affected:= 4.1.2
Quicktime Streaming ServerApplication
Affected:= 4.1.1

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
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 checks

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

  1. Verify if Darwin Streaming Server or QuickTime Streaming Server is installed
    Check for the presence of the streaming server software. On Linux/Unix systems, look in common installation directories such as /usr/local/QuickTimeStreamingServer, /Library/QuickTimeStreamingServer, or check for the 'QuickTimeStreamingServer' or 'DarwinStreamingServer' processes running. On Windows, check Program Files for QuickTime Streaming Server or Darwin Streaming Server folders.
    Affected if Either Darwin Streaming Server or QuickTime Streaming Server is installed on the system
  2. Determine the installed version of the streaming server
    If the server is installed, find the version number. Check for version files in the server installation directory, or look at the server banner via HTTP request to the streaming server port. Compare your installed version against the affected versions: Darwin Streaming Server 4.1.2 or QuickTime Streaming Server 4.1.1.
    Affected if The installed version is exactly 4.1.2 for Darwin Streaming Server or exactly 4.1.1 for QuickTime Streaming Server
  3. Locate the parse_xml.cgi script
    Search for parse_xml.cgi in the web server's CGI directory or in the streaming server's web administration directory. Common paths include /cgi-bin/parse_xml.cgi or /admin/cgi-bin/parse_xml.cgi within the streaming server's web root.
    Affected if The parse_xml.cgi script exists and is accessible via the web server
  4. Test for path traversal vulnerability
    If parse_xml.cgi is found, attempt a safe test by sending an HTTP request with path traversal sequences in the query parameters, such as ?file=../../ or ?dir=../../ (exact parameter names may vary). Observe if the response reveals directory listings outside the intended web root.
    Affected if The parse_xml.cgi script accepts path traversal sequences and returns directory listings for paths outside the intended scope

A system is affected if it runs Darwin Streaming Server 4.1.2 or QuickTime Streaming Server 4.1.1 with the parse_xml.cgi script accessible and vulnerable to path traversal requests.

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 patched versions of the streaming servers if available, or if the software is legacy/unsupported, disable the parse_xml.cgi script and implement web server-level path traversal filters to block malicious requests.

Fix this in Darwin Streaming Server Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
9.0 hours of engineering $1,600
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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-2003-0052 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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