CVE-2000-0124 is a vulnerability in surfCONTROL's SuperScout product version 2.6.1.6, a web filtering solution designed to categorize websites and enforce web access restrictions. The vulnerability arises because SuperScout does not correctly assign categories to URLs that have a trailing dot ('.') at the end of the domain name. This improper handling allows users to bypass web access restrictions by appending a dot to the end of a URL, effectively circumventing the filtering mechanism. For example, if a site is blocked based on its category, accessing the same site with a trailing dot might not be recognized as the same domain, thus allowing access. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 2.1, indicating low severity, with an attack vector of local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no authentication required (Au:N), and partial confidentiality impact (C:P), but no impact on integrity or availability. No patches are available, and there are no known exploits in the wild. This vulnerability primarily affects organizations relying on surfCONTROL SuperScout 2.6.1.6 for web filtering and content control, potentially allowing users to bypass restrictions and access otherwise blocked content.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability is primarily related to policy enforcement and compliance rather than direct system compromise. Organizations using surfCONTROL SuperScout 2.6.1.6 for controlling employee or user web access may find that users can bypass restrictions by exploiting the trailing dot issue. This could lead to unauthorized access to inappropriate or non-compliant web content, potentially violating internal policies or regulatory requirements such as GDPR if sensitive data is accessed or transmitted via unmonitored channels. While the vulnerability does not allow for system compromise or data integrity attacks, it undermines the effectiveness of web filtering controls, which could increase exposure to phishing, malware, or other web-based threats if malicious sites are inadvertently accessed. The low severity and local attack vector mean that the threat is limited to users who already have access to the network or system where SuperScout is deployed, reducing the risk of external exploitation. However, organizations with strict web access policies, especially in regulated sectors like finance, healthcare, or government, may face compliance risks and reputational damage if this bypass is exploited.

Given that no patch is available for this vulnerability, European organizations should implement compensating controls to mitigate the risk. These include: 1) Implementing additional web filtering layers or proxy solutions that correctly handle URL normalization, including trailing dots, to prevent bypass. 2) Enforcing strict URL validation and normalization policies on network gateways or firewalls to detect and block URLs with trailing dots if they are not legitimate. 3) Monitoring and auditing web access logs for unusual URL patterns, including trailing dots, to detect potential bypass attempts. 4) Educating users about acceptable web usage policies and the risks of circumventing controls. 5) Considering upgrading or replacing surfCONTROL SuperScout with more modern web filtering solutions that do not suffer from this vulnerability and receive regular security updates. 6) Restricting local user privileges to limit the ability to modify or circumvent security controls. These steps will help reduce the risk of unauthorized web access despite the lack of a direct patch.