CVE-2000-0006 is a vulnerability found in the strace utility, specifically version 2.3.20, which was published in late 1999. Strace is a diagnostic, debugging and instructional userspace utility for Linux. It is used to monitor the system calls used by a program and the signals it receives. The vulnerability allows local users to read arbitrary files by exploiting the way strace handles memory mapped file names. Essentially, a local attacker can leverage strace to access the contents of files they would not normally have permission to read by tracing processes that have those files memory mapped. This is possible because strace exposes the file names of memory mapped files during its tracing output, which can be accessed by the attacker. The vulnerability requires local access to the system, and the attacker must have the ability to run strace on processes that have mapped the target files. The CVSS score is low (2.6), reflecting limited impact and high attack complexity. There is no patch available for this vulnerability, and no known exploits in the wild have been reported. Given the age of the vulnerability and the version affected, modern systems are unlikely to be impacted unless they are running this very old version of strace.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability is limited due to several factors. First, the vulnerability requires local access, so remote exploitation is not possible. Second, it affects an outdated version of strace (2.3.20), which is unlikely to be in use on current production systems. Third, the vulnerability allows only partial confidentiality and integrity impact (reading arbitrary files), but does not affect availability. However, if legacy systems or specialized environments still run this version, sensitive information could be exposed to unauthorized local users, potentially leading to information disclosure of confidential files. This could be particularly relevant in environments with shared access or multi-user systems, such as research institutions or universities. Overall, the threat to European organizations is low but should not be ignored in legacy or specialized contexts.

Since no official patch is available for this vulnerability, the best mitigation is to upgrade strace to a more recent, supported version where this issue has been resolved. Organizations should audit their systems to identify any instances of strace version 2.3.20 or similarly outdated versions and replace them. Additionally, strict access controls should be enforced to limit which users can execute strace or trace other users' processes. Restricting local user privileges and employing mandatory access controls (e.g., SELinux, AppArmor) can reduce the risk of exploitation. Monitoring and logging the use of strace can also help detect any suspicious activity. For legacy systems where upgrading is not feasible, consider isolating those systems and limiting user access to minimize exposure.