CVE-2001-0414
CVE-2001-0414 is a remote code execution vulnerability. 5 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. O3 Security confirms whether CVE-2001-0414 is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
Buffer overflow in ntpd ntp daemon 4.0.99k and earlier (aka xntpd and xntp3) allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service and possibly execute arbitrary commands via a long readvar argument.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Description
Buffer overflow in ntpd ntp daemon 4.0.99k and earlier (aka xntpd and xntp3) allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service and possibly execute arbitrary commands via a long readvar argument.
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
NTPd - Remote Buffer Overflow
by babcia padlina ltd · Apr 4, 2001
NTPd 4.0.99j-k readvar - Remote Buffer Overflow (Metasploit)
by patrick · Apr 4, 2001
NTP daemon readvar - Remote Buffer Overflow (Metasploit)
by Metasploit · Aug 25, 2010
Detection & mitigation playbook
VulnerabilityDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for the affected component. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Remediation status
No patched version of the affected component has shipped for CVE-2001-0414 yet. Where your build allows, override or pin the dependency away from the vulnerable range, and apply any maintainer-recommended mitigation.
Mitigate without a patch
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether CVE-2001-0414 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to CVE-2001-0414. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2001-0414 in your dependencies?
O3 detects CVE-2001-0414 across dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.