UNKNOWN CVSS 6.4
Published: 2004-12-31

CVE-2004-2264

gnu less Security Advisory (CVE-2004-2264)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
Seeking technical exploit breakdowns or verified PoC code for CVE-2004-2264?
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2004-2264 impacting gnu less. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 6.4 (UNKNOWN).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
Format string bug in the open_altfile function in filename.c for GNU less 382, 381, and 358 might allow local users to cause a denial of service or possibly execute arbitrary code via format strings in the LESSOPEN environment variable. NOTE: since less is not setuid or setgid, then this is not a vulnerability unless there are plausible scenarios under which privilege boundaries could be crossed

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Confidentiality
None (C:N)
No data confidentiality impact

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product gnu / less
Affected Versions 358
Weakness Enumeration NVD-CWE-Other

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2004-2264 impacting gnu less.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2004-2264.yaml
id: cve-2004-2264

info:
  name: gnu less - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: unknown
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2004-2264 affecting gnu less.
    Evaluation: Format string bug in the open_altfile function in filename.c for GNU less 382, 381, and 358 might allow local users to cause a denial of service or po...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2004-2264
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P
    cvss-score: 6.4
    cve-id: CVE-2004-2264
    cwe-id: NVD-CWE-Other
  tags: cve,cve-2004-2264,gnu,less,unknown

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "less"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2004-2264.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2004-2264
# Target: gnu less | CVSS: 6.4 (UNKNOWN)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2004-2264 (gnu less)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against gnu less scope (358).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2004-2264.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2004-2264
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install less 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade less 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update less

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i less 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i less

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2004-2264 in gnu less?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update gnu less packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2004-2264?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2004-2264?

CVE-2004-2264 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 6.4 (UNKNOWN). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
6.4
UNKNOWN SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2004-2264
Weakness NVD-CWE-Other
Vendor gnu
Product less
Published 2004-12-31
Vector AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P