CVE-2005-0983: Quake 3 engine, as used in multiple games, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (client discon

This month

MEDIUM 5.0DOWNGRADEDOWNGRADEDOWNGRADE

CVE-2005-0983 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 5.0) affecting call of duty, call of duty united offensive, return to castle wolfenstein. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

Quake 3 engine, as used in multiple games, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (client disconnect) via a long message, which is not properly truncated and causes the engine to process the remaining data as if it were network data.

Why this priority

Public exploit reference

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

Risk facts

CVSS score	5.0 (Medium)
EPSS exploit chance	2.6% (top 15%)
CISA exploited list	No
Published	2005-05-02
Last modified	2026-06-16

Publisher (CNA): MITRE · Vendor: activision · id software

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

Am I affected?

Timeline

2005-05-02 04:00 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-16 22:12 UTCUpdated Record last modified

activision call of duty DOWNGRADE

Affected: 1.4 · 1.5b

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 1.4

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy call-of-duty || rpm -q call-of-duty || call-of-duty --version

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 1.4 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison call-of-duty sudo apt install call-of-duty=<VERSION_BEFORE_1.4> sudo apt-mark hold call-of-duty

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

dnf --showduplicates list call-of-duty sudo dnf downgrade call-of-duty-<VERSION_BEFORE_1.4> sudo dnf versionlock add call-of-duty

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.

activision call of duty united offensive DOWNGRADE

Affected: 1.41 · 1.51b

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 1.41

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy call-of-duty-united-offensive || rpm -q call-of-duty-united-offensive || call-of-duty-united-offensive --version

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 1.41 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison call-of-duty-united-offensive sudo apt install call-of-duty-united-offensive=<VERSION_BEFORE_1.41> sudo apt-mark hold call-of-duty-united-offensive

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

dnf --showduplicates list call-of-duty-united-offensive sudo dnf downgrade call-of-duty-united-offensive-<VERSION_BEFORE_1.41> sudo dnf versionlock add call-of-duty-united-offensive

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.

activision return to castle wolfenstein DOWNGRADE

Affected: 1.0 · 1.1

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 1.0

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy return-to-castle-wolfenstein || rpm -q return-to-castle-wolfenstein || return-to-castle-wolfenstein --version

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

apt-cache madison return-to-castle-wolfenstein sudo apt install return-to-castle-wolfenstein=<VERSION_BEFORE_1.0> sudo apt-mark hold return-to-castle-wolfenstein

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

dnf --showduplicates list return-to-castle-wolfenstein sudo dnf downgrade return-to-castle-wolfenstein-<VERSION_BEFORE_1.0> sudo dnf versionlock add return-to-castle-wolfenstein

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.

id software quake 3 arena DOWNGRADE

Affected: 1.1.7 · 1.16 · 1.31

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 1.1.7

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 1.1.7 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison quake-3-arena sudo apt install quake-3-arena=<VERSION_BEFORE_1.1.7> 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_1.1.7> 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.

id software quake 3 arena server 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-server || rpm -q quake-3-arena-server || quake-3-arena-server --version

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

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

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

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

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.

id software quake 3 engine MITIGATE

Affected: all versions

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

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

No fixed or unaffected release known

Apply the vendor mitigation from the advisory, disable the affected feature, or restrict network access.

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-2005-0983?

call of duty: downgrade or apply the listed mitigation; call of duty united offensive: downgrade or apply the listed mitigation; return to castle wolfenstein: downgrade or apply the listed mitigation. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2005-0983 being exploited?

CVE-2005-0983 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-2005-0983 affect?

CVE-2005-0983 affects call of duty, call of duty united offensive, return to castle wolfenstein. Severity is medium (CVSS 5.0). Quake 3 engine, as used in multiple games, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (client disconnect) via a long message, which is not properly truncated and causes the engine to process the remaining data as if it were networ

How urgent is CVE-2005-0983?

Priority 44/100. Public exploit reference

Related CVEs

CVE-2006-5058 HIGH 7.5 UPGRADE UPGRADE Buffer overflow in (1) Call of Duty 1.5b and earlier, (2) Call of Duty United Offensive 1.51b and earlier, and
CVE-2004-1664 MEDIUM 5.0 DOWNGRADE DOWNGRADE Call of Duty 1.4 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (game end) via a large (1) q

References

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