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CVE-2002-0059

Critical Vulnerability: CVE-2002-0059 — zlib — zlib

The decompression algorithm in zlib 1.1.3 and earlier, as used in many different utilities and packages, causes inflateEnd to release certain memory more than once (a "double free"), which may allow local and remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a block of malformed compression data.

Thursday, April 16, 2026zlibVulnios Threat Intelligence
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Executive Summary

The decompression algorithm in zlib 1.1.3 and earlier, as used in many different utilities and packages, causes inflateEnd to release certain memory more than once (a "double free"), which may allow local and remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a block of malformed compression data.

Why It Matters

CVE-2002-0059 is rated CRITICAL severity, requiring immediate attention from security teams.

CVSS Base Score: 9.8/10

Affected Technologies

Vendors: zlib

Products: zlib

🛡️What Defenders Should Check

  • Check if you are affected — Review your asset inventory for products listed in CVE-2002-0059.
  • Apply available patches — Visit vendor advisories for the latest security updates.
  • Monitor for exploitation — Check your SIEM/IDS logs for related indicators.

    • Use Vulnios to continuously monitor your exposure to CVE-2002-0059 and similar vulnerabilities.

    References & Sources

  • ftp://ftp.caldera.com/pub/security/OpenLinux/CSSA-2002-015.1.txt
  • http://distro.conectiva.com.br/atualizacoes/?id=a&anuncio=000469
  • http://frontal2.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDKSA-2002:022
  • http://www.caldera.com/support/security/advisories/CSSA-2002-014.1.txt
  • http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-2002-07.html
  • http://www.debian.org/security/2002/dsa-122
  • http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/368819
  • http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/security/2002/MDKSA-2002-023.php
  • http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/security/2002/MDKSA-2002-024.php3
  • http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2002-026.html

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    Affected Products

    zlib

    Sources

    critical

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