CVE-2000-0361 is a vulnerability found in the PPP wvdial.lxdialog script used by wvdial version 1.4 and earlier. Wvdial is a utility used on Linux systems to simplify the process of connecting to the internet via dial-up modems. The vulnerability arises because the script creates a configuration file named .config with world-readable permissions. This misconfiguration allows any local user who is a member of the dialout group to read the file and thereby gain access to sensitive information such as login credentials and passwords used for dial-up connections. Since the vulnerability is local and requires membership in the dialout group, it does not allow remote exploitation or privilege escalation beyond the local user context. The CVSS score of 2.1 (low severity) reflects the limited impact and ease of exploitation, as it only compromises confidentiality without affecting integrity or availability. No patches are available for this vulnerability, and there are no known exploits in the wild. The issue primarily affects older versions of SUSE Linux distributions and other Linux systems using wvdial 1.4 or earlier.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability is generally low due to the age of the software and the limited scope of exploitation. However, organizations that still rely on legacy dial-up infrastructure or maintain older Linux systems with wvdial installed could face confidentiality risks. Exposure of dial-up credentials could lead to unauthorized local access or misuse of dial-up connections, potentially resulting in unauthorized network access or data leakage. While the vulnerability does not allow remote exploitation, insider threats or compromised local accounts with dialout group membership could leverage this to escalate access to sensitive dial-up credentials. Given the decline in dial-up usage, the practical impact is minimal for most modern European enterprises, but legacy systems in industrial or remote environments might still be vulnerable.

To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should first identify any systems running wvdial version 1.4 or earlier. Since no official patches are available, the best approach is to upgrade to a newer version of wvdial or replace dial-up connectivity methods with modern alternatives such as broadband or VPN-based solutions. If upgrading is not immediately feasible, administrators should manually change the permissions of the .config file to restrict access strictly to the owning user (e.g., chmod 600 .config). Additionally, review and limit membership of the dialout group to only trusted users to reduce the risk of local credential exposure. Regular audits of file permissions and user group memberships can help detect and prevent similar issues. Finally, consider implementing local monitoring and alerting for unauthorized access attempts to sensitive configuration files.