CVE-2000-0326 identifies a security vulnerability in Meeting Maker, a scheduling and calendaring software developed by ON Technology. The vulnerability arises from the use of weak encryption for password protection, specifically a polyalphabetic substitution cipher. This type of cipher, while more complex than a simple substitution cipher, is still cryptographically weak and susceptible to frequency analysis and other classical cryptanalysis techniques. As a result, remote attackers who can sniff network traffic are able to capture encrypted password data and decrypt it with relative ease. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Meeting Maker, from 1.0 through 6.0, indicating a long-standing issue without a patch available. The CVSS score of 5.0 (medium severity) reflects that the vulnerability allows remote attackers to compromise confidentiality (passwords) without requiring authentication or user interaction, but does not impact integrity or availability. Exploitation requires network access to the communication channel where passwords are transmitted. Since Meeting Maker is used for scheduling, compromised credentials could allow unauthorized access to user accounts, potentially exposing sensitive organizational calendars and communications. However, no known exploits have been reported in the wild, and no patches or mitigations have been officially released by the vendor. This vulnerability is primarily a risk in environments where Meeting Maker is still in use and network traffic is not adequately protected by other means such as VPNs or encrypted tunnels.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability centers on the potential exposure of user credentials for Meeting Maker accounts. Unauthorized access to scheduling and calendaring systems can lead to information disclosure, including meeting details, participant lists, and potentially sensitive business plans or personal data. This could facilitate further targeted attacks such as social engineering or espionage. The confidentiality breach could undermine trust and compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR, especially if personal data is involved. However, since the vulnerability does not affect data integrity or system availability, the direct operational impact is limited to information leakage. The risk is heightened in organizations that still rely on legacy Meeting Maker deployments without additional network security controls. Given the age of the vulnerability and lack of patches, organizations using this software face a persistent risk unless mitigated by network-level protections.

Since no official patch is available for this vulnerability, European organizations should implement compensating controls to mitigate risk. First, network traffic involving Meeting Maker should be secured using strong encryption protocols such as TLS or VPN tunnels to prevent sniffing attacks. If possible, disable or replace Meeting Maker with modern calendaring solutions that use robust authentication and encryption. Network segmentation can limit exposure by isolating Meeting Maker servers and clients from untrusted networks. Monitoring network traffic for unusual patterns or unauthorized access attempts can help detect exploitation attempts. Additionally, enforcing strong password policies and multi-factor authentication (if supported by the environment) can reduce the impact of credential compromise. Organizations should also conduct an inventory to identify any remaining Meeting Maker installations and plan for decommissioning or upgrading. Employee awareness training about phishing and social engineering can further reduce risk from compromised credentials.