CVE-2002-2046: x_news.php in X-News (x_news) 1.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to gain administrative privileges by ste

This month

HIGH 7.5DOWNGRADE

CVE-2002-2046 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.5) affecting x-news. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

x_news.php in X-News (x_news) 1.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to gain administrative privileges by stealing and replaying the md5_password cookie.

Why this priority

High severity

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

Risk facts

CVSS score	7.5 (High)
EPSS exploit chance	1.3% (top 29%)
CISA exploited list	No
Published	2002-12-31
Last modified	2026-06-16

Publisher (CNA): MITRE · Vendor: xqus

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

Am I affected?

Timeline

2002-12-31 05:00 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-16 22:00 UTCUpdated Record last modified

xqus x-news DOWNGRADE

Affected: 1.1

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 1.1

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy x-news || rpm -q x-news || x-news --version

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 1.1 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison x-news sudo apt install x-news=<VERSION_BEFORE_1.1> sudo apt-mark hold x-news

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

dnf --showduplicates list x-news sudo dnf downgrade x-news-<VERSION_BEFORE_1.1> sudo dnf versionlock add x-news

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.

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-2002-2046?

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

Is CVE-2002-2046 being exploited?

CVE-2002-2046 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-2002-2046 affect?

CVE-2002-2046 affects x-news. Severity is high (CVSS 7.5). x_news.php in X-News (x_news) 1.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to gain administrative privileges by stealing and replaying the md5_password cookie.

How urgent is CVE-2002-2046?

Priority 44/100. High severity

Software pages

PHP vulnerabilities

Related CVEs

CVE-2002-1656 HIGH 7.5 DOWNGRADE X-News (x_news) 1.1 and earlier allows attackers to authenticate as other users by obtaining the MD5 checksum

References

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