CVE-2000-0014 is a medium-severity denial of service (DoS) vulnerability affecting version 2.0 of the Savant web server. The vulnerability arises from the server's improper handling of null characters embedded within the requested URL. Specifically, when a URL containing a null character is sent to the server, it causes the Savant web server to crash or become unresponsive, resulting in a denial of service condition. This vulnerability is exploitable remotely without requiring any authentication or user interaction, as the attacker only needs to send a specially crafted HTTP request containing a null character in the URL path. The CVSS score of 5.0 reflects the fact that while the vulnerability does not compromise confidentiality or integrity, it impacts availability by causing the server to stop functioning properly. No patches or fixes are available for this vulnerability, and there are no known exploits in the wild. Given the age of the vulnerability (published in 1999) and the specific affected product, it is likely that Savant web server 2.0 is no longer widely used or maintained. However, any legacy systems still running this version remain vulnerable to simple remote DoS attacks that can disrupt web services.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability depends largely on whether they still operate legacy systems running Savant web server 2.0. If such systems are in use, an attacker could remotely cause service outages by sending malformed HTTP requests containing null characters. This could disrupt business operations, degrade customer trust, and potentially impact critical services if the affected server hosts important web applications. Although the vulnerability does not allow data theft or code execution, the availability impact could be significant for organizations relying on uninterrupted web service. In sectors such as government, healthcare, or finance where service availability is critical, even a temporary DoS could have regulatory and reputational consequences. However, given the age and obscurity of the affected product, the overall risk to most European organizations today is likely low unless legacy systems remain in place without mitigation.

Since no official patch is available for this vulnerability, organizations should consider the following specific mitigation steps: 1) Identify and inventory any systems running Savant web server version 2.0 or similar legacy versions. 2) Immediately isolate these systems from public networks or restrict access via firewall rules to trusted IP addresses only, minimizing exposure to remote attackers. 3) If continued use is necessary, implement web application firewalls (WAFs) or intrusion prevention systems (IPS) capable of detecting and blocking HTTP requests containing null characters or other suspicious payloads. 4) Where possible, migrate services hosted on Savant web server 2.0 to modern, actively maintained web server software with current security support. 5) Monitor network traffic and server logs for anomalous requests that include null characters or cause server instability. 6) Develop incident response plans to quickly recover from potential DoS attacks targeting this vulnerability. These targeted mitigations go beyond generic advice by focusing on legacy system identification, network-level protections, and proactive monitoring.