CVE-2001-1289: Quake 3 arena 1.29f and 1.29g allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a malformed con

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MEDIUM 5.0DOWNGRADE

CVE-2001-1289 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 5.0) affecting quake 3 arena. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

Quake 3 arena 1.29f and 1.29g allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a malformed connection packet that begins with several char-255 characters.

Why this priority

EPSS top 7%: very likely to be exploited
Public exploit reference

No fix is published yet: follow the downgrade or mitigation steps.

Risk facts

CVSS score	5.0 (Medium)
EPSS exploit chance	5.2% (top 7%)
CISA exploited list	No
Published	2001-07-29
Last modified	2026-06-16

Publisher (CNA): MITRE · Vendor: id software

Last updated 2026-06-16 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2001-07-29 04:00 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-16 21:55 UTCUpdated Record last modified

id software quake 3 arena DOWNGRADE

Affected: 1.29f · 1.29g

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 1.29f

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy quake-3-arena || rpm -q quake-3-arena || quake-3-arena --version

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 1.29f (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison quake-3-arena sudo apt install quake-3-arena=<VERSION_BEFORE_1.29f> sudo apt-mark hold quake-3-arena

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

dnf --showduplicates list quake-3-arena sudo dnf downgrade quake-3-arena-<VERSION_BEFORE_1.29f> sudo dnf versionlock add quake-3-arena

Downgrade risk

Downgrading can break dependent software and may reopen older bugs. Read the distro advisory first and test on a non-production host.

After downgrade

Restart the service, and keep the package held until a fixed release ships.

Public exploits and detection

Public code exists for this CVE. Treat unpatched systems as at risk, and only run PoCs in a lab.

Exploit-DB: id Software Quake 3 Arena Server 1.29 - Buffer Overflow

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2001-1289?

quake 3 arena: downgrade or apply the listed mitigation. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2001-1289 being exploited?

CVE-2001-1289 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2001-1289 affect?

CVE-2001-1289 affects quake 3 arena. Severity is medium (CVSS 5.0). Quake 3 arena 1.29f and 1.29g allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a malformed connection packet that begins with several char-255 characters.

How urgent is CVE-2001-1289?

Priority 46/100. EPSS top 7%: very likely to be exploited; Public exploit reference

Related CVEs

CVE-2006-2236 HIGH 7.6 DOWNGRADE DOWNGRADE Buffer overflow in the Quake 3 Engine, as used by (1) ET 2.60, (2) Return to Castle Wolfenstein 1.41, and (3)
CVE-2005-0983 MEDIUM 5.0 DOWNGRADE DOWNGRADE Quake 3 engine, as used in multiple games, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (client discon
CVE-2000-0303 MEDIUM 6.4 DOWNGRADE Quake3 Arena allows malicious server operators to read or modify files on a client via a dot dot (..) attack.

References

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