# CVE-2003-0161

## Summary

- **CVE ID:** CVE-2003-0161
- **Severity:** UNKNOWN
- **CVSS Score:** 2.72
- **CWE:** N/A
- **Published:** Apr 1, 2003
- **Last Modified:** Mar 16, 2026

## Description

The prescan() function in the address parser (parseaddr.c) in Sendmail before 8.12.9 does not properly handle certain conversions from char and int types, which can cause a length check to be disabled when Sendmail misinterprets an input value as a special "NOCHAR" control value, allowing attackers to cause a denial of service and possibly execute arbitrary code via a buffer overflow attack using messages, a different vulnerability than CVE-2002-1337.

## Affected Products

- n/a — n/a (n/a)

## References

- [CNA](http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-77-1001088.1-1)
- [CNA](http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-26-52620-1)
- [CNA](ftp://patches.sgi.com/support/free/security/advisories/20030401-01-P)
- [CNA](http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/7230)
- [CNA](http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=104914999806315&w=2)
- [CNA](http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2003-120.html)
- [CNA](http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/317135/30/25220/threaded)
- [CNA](http://www.debian.org/security/2003/dsa-278)
- [CNA](http://www.debian.org/security/2003/dsa-290)
- [CNA](http://lists.apple.com/mhonarc/security-announce/msg00028.html)
- [CNA](http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-26-52700-1)
- [CNA](http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-2003-12.html)
- [CNA](ftp://ftp.caldera.com/pub/security/OpenLinux/CSSA-2003-016.0.txt)
- [CNA](http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/316961/30/25250/threaded)
- [CNA](http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2003-121.html)
- [CNA](http://distro.conectiva.com.br/atualizacoes/?id=a&anuncio=000614)
- [CNA](ftp://ftp.sco.com/pub/updates/OpenServer/SCOSA-2004.11/SCOSA-2004.11.txt)
- [CNA](http://www.gentoo.org/security/en/glsa/glsa-200303-27.xml)
- [CNA](http://lists.grok.org.uk/pipermail/full-disclosure/2003-March/004295.html)
- [CNA](http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=104897487512238&w=2)
- [CNA](ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/CERT/advisories/FreeBSD-SA-03:07.sendmail.asc)
- [CNA](http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/321997)
- [CNA](http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=104896621106790&w=2)
- [CNA](http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/897604)

## Exploitation Prediction (EPSS)

- **EPSS Score:** 67.90%
- **EPSS Percentile:** 98.5

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_Exported from OnDuty AI Vulnerability Intelligence on 2026-09-18._