CVE-2003-0224
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 · uneditedBuffer overflow in ssinc.dll for Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.0 allows local users to execute arbitrary code via a web page with a Server Side Include (SSI) directive with a long filename, aka "Server Side Include Web Pages Buffer Overrun."
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 confidenceBuffer overflow vulnerability in ssinc.dll (Server Side Include handler) in Microsoft IIS 5.0 allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code by submitting a web page with an SSI directive containing an excessively long filename.
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= 5.0CVSS 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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Confirm IIS 5.0 is installedCheck the IIS version via registry at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\InetStp or run 'iisinfo.vbs' if available, or check the About dialog in IIS ManagerAffected if The installed version is Microsoft IIS 5.0
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Verify Server Side Include (SSI) handler is presentCheck for the presence of ssinc.dll in the system32/inetsrv directory (typically C:\WINDOWS\system32\inetsrv\ssinc.dll)Affected if The ssinc.dll file exists on the server
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Check if SSI is enabled as a Web Service ExtensionOpen IIS Manager, expand the server node, and look under 'Web Service Extensions' to see if 'Server Side Includes' is listed and set to 'Allowed'Affected if Server Side Includes is allowed/enabled in IIS Web Service Extensions
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Verify SSI handler mapping is configuredCheck the IIS metabase or application host configuration for handler mappings that reference ssinc.dll for .shtml, .shtm, or .stm filesAffected if SSI handler mappings are active for .shtml/.shtm/.stm file extensions
The server is affected if it is running IIS 5.0 with Server Side Includes enabled and the ssinc.dll handler is active.
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.
dbcve · scopedApply the relevant Microsoft security patch for this vulnerability. As a compensating control, disable Server Side Includes if not required, or restrict SSI execution to specific directories with appropriate access controls.
Windows Server 2019 or later with IIS 10.0
- 1. Migrate from the end-of-life Windows 2000/IIS 5.0 environment to a supported Windows Server version (Windows Server 2019 or later recommended
- 2. Install the corresponding IIS version (IIS 10.0) on the new server
- 3. Migrate web applications and configurations to the new IIS environment
- 4. Test all Server Side Include (SSI) functionality in the new environment
- 5. Deprecate or securely decommission the Windows 2000/IIS 5.0 server
- 6. Ensure Windows Server is kept up to date via Windows Update or WSUS
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation3.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,800.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2003-0224 — 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-2003-0224 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