CVE-2002-0589: PVote before 1.9 allows remote attackers to change the administrative password and gain privileges by directly

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HIGH 7.5DOWNGRADE

CVE-2002-0589 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.5) affecting pvote. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

PVote before 1.9 allows remote attackers to change the administrative password and gain privileges by directly calling ch_info.php with the newpass and confirm parameters both set to the new password.

Why this priority

High severity
EPSS top 6%: very likely to be exploited
Public exploit reference

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

Risk facts

CVSS score	7.5 (High)
EPSS exploit chance	7.0% (top 6%)
CISA exploited list	No
Published	2002-06-18
Last modified	2026-06-16

Publisher (CNA): MITRE · Vendor: steve korbett

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

Am I affected?

Timeline

2002-06-18 04:00 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-16 21:57 UTCUpdated Record last modified

steve korbett pvote DOWNGRADE

Affected: 1.0 · 1.0a · 1.0b · 1.5

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 1.0

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy pvote || rpm -q pvote || pvote --version

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 1.0 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison pvote sudo apt install pvote=<VERSION_BEFORE_1.0> sudo apt-mark hold pvote

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

dnf --showduplicates list pvote sudo dnf downgrade pvote-<VERSION_BEFORE_1.0> sudo dnf versionlock add pvote

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: PVote 1.0/1.5 - Unauthorized Administrative Password Change

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-2002-0589?

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

Is CVE-2002-0589 being exploited?

CVE-2002-0589 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-2002-0589 affect?

CVE-2002-0589 affects pvote. Severity is high (CVSS 7.5). PVote before 1.9 allows remote attackers to change the administrative password and gain privileges by directly calling ch_info.php with the newpass and confirm parameters both set to the new password.

How urgent is CVE-2002-0589?

Priority 55/100. High severity; EPSS top 6%: very likely to be exploited; Public exploit reference

Software pages

PHP vulnerabilities

Related CVEs

CVE-2002-0588 MEDIUM 5.0 DOWNGRADE PVote before 1.9 does not authenticate users for restricted operations, which allows remote attackers to add o

References

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