CVE-2002-0006

XChat <= 1.8.7 - Remote IRC Command Execution via CTCP PING Response

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 1 public exploit for CVE-2002-0006. PoCs published by Marcus Meissner.

AI-analyzed exploit summary The exploit describes a vulnerability in X-Chat where CTCP ping requests with escaped newline characters can execute additional IRC commands, potentially granting operator status or enabling social engineering attacks. The vulnerability is mitigated in versions after 1.4.3 by disabling character expansion by default.

Description

XChat 1.8.7 and earlier, including default configurations of 1.4.2 and 1.4.3, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary IRC commands as other clients via encoded characters in a PRIVMSG command that calls CTCP PING, which expands the characters in the client response when the percascii variable is set.

Exploits (1)

exploitdb WRITEUP VERIFIED
by Marcus Meissner · textremotelinux
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/21210

The exploit describes a vulnerability in X-Chat where CTCP ping requests with escaped newline characters can execute additional IRC commands, potentially granting operator status or enabling social engineering attacks. The vulnerability is mitigated in versions after 1.4.3 by disabling character expansion by default.

Classification
Writeup 90%
Attack Type
Other
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Theoretical
Target: X-Chat < 1.4.3
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Vulnerable X-Chat client connected to an IRC server
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

References (7)

Core 7
Core References
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_xf
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/7856
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_conectiva
http://distro.conectiva.com.br/atualizacoes/?id=a&anuncio=000453
Patch, Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_debian
http://www.debian.org/security/2002/dsa-099
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2002-005.html
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vendor-advisory x_refsource_hp
http://online.securityfocus.com/advisories/3806
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_bid
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/3830
Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_bugtraq
http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=101060676210255&w=2

Scores

EPSS 0.0809
EPSS Percentile 94.1%

Details

Status published
Products (2)
xchat/xchat 1.4.2
xchat/xchat 1.4.3
Published Jun 25, 2002
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026