Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This vulnerability affects Vixie Cron library versions up to 3.0. A local user could trigger a buffer overflow using an overly long environment variable and potentially gain root access. It matters most on legacy Unix-like systems where untrusted or low-privilege users can log in locally.
Executive priority
Treat as a legacy local privilege-escalation risk. It is urgent only where affected cron versions remain in use on multi-user or shared systems; otherwise the business risk is likely low due to age and local access requirements.
Technical view
The CVE describes a local privilege-escalation buffer overflow in Vixie Cron through version 3.0, reachable through long environment-variable input. The public bundle provides no CVSS vector, CWE mapping, named downstream operating systems, or confirmed fixed version details beyond the affected version statement.
Likely exposure
Likely limited to older systems still running Vixie Cron library up to version 3.0. Exposure requires a local user context, so shared servers, legacy multi-user hosts, and systems with broad shell access are the main concern.
Exploitation context
The source bundle states local users may obtain root access. KEV status is false, and the provided sources do not confirm active exploitation, public exploit availability, or remote exploitation.
Researcher notes
Evidence is sparse. The bundle identifies Vixie Cron through 3.0 and the long environment-variable overflow condition, but it does not provide affected downstream products, patch identifiers, CVSS, CWE, exploit status, or detailed root-cause analysis.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory hosts running Vixie Cron or cron packages derived from it.
- Check operating-system or vendor advisories for fixed cron packages.
- Upgrade or replace affected cron components per vendor guidance.
- Reduce unnecessary local shell access on legacy multi-user systems.
- Prioritize remediation where low-privilege local users exist.
Validation and detection
- Confirm installed cron package name and version on legacy hosts.
- Check whether Vixie Cron version is 3.0 or earlier.
- Review vendor package changelogs for CVE-1999-0297 coverage.
- Identify systems where untrusted users can set local environments.
- Document any unsupported systems needing replacement or isolation.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CVE-1999-0297 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/CVE-1999-0297CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.