Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This old CVE describes a flaw in wget 1.5.3 where changing permissions on a downloaded symlink could affect the linked target file. Business urgency is mainly legacy exposure: modern environments are unlikely to run this version, but unmanaged or embedded systems should be checked.
Executive priority
Low immediate priority for modern fleets, but include it in legacy Unix/Linux cleanup and appliance reviews. Escalate if wget 1.5.3 remains in automated workflows.
Technical view
The issue is symlink-following behavior in wget 1.5.3 during permission changes. Instead of applying the operation to the symlink, wget follows it and changes the target file permissions. The provided sources do not include CVSS, CWE, fixed-version, or detailed platform scope.
Likely exposure
Exposure appears limited to systems still running wget 1.5.3. Risk is more relevant where wget handles files in directories influenced by other users or automated workflows.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not show active exploitation, public exploit status, or CISA KEV listing. Treat this as a legacy local/file-handling risk unless vendor guidance says otherwise.
Researcher notes
The evidence is sparse. The CVE identifies behavior and version, but lacks CVSS, CWE, patch details, affected platform scope, and exploitation data. Do not broaden impact beyond wget 1.5.3 without vendor evidence.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory systems for wget 1.5.3 or vendor packages based on it.
- Upgrade or replace legacy wget according to distributor or vendor guidance.
- Avoid using affected wget in shared or untrusted writable directories.
- Restrict write access around automated download locations.
- Review file permissions on sensitive paths touched by legacy download jobs.
Validation and detection
- Check installed wget versions on legacy hosts and appliances.
- Review package manager records for historical wget 1.5.3 builds.
- Identify scripts or cron jobs invoking wget in shared directories.
- Confirm whether vendor backports address this CVE.
- Look for unexpected permission changes near automated download paths.
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-1999-0402 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-1999-0402CVE 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.