Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-1999-1401 is an old SGI IRIX Desktop issue where the searchbook program sets unsafe permissions on certain user files. The sources identify iconbook and searchbook files. This is most relevant to legacy IRIX systems, not modern mainstream platforms.
Executive priority
Treat as a legacy-platform hygiene issue. Prioritize if IRIX systems support business-critical workflows, sensitive data, or shared user environments. Otherwise, handle through legacy asset retirement and risk acceptance processes.
Technical view
The vulnerability affects the Desktop searchbook program in IRIX 5.0.x through 6.2. It creates or modifies certain user files with insecure permissions. Public source data does not provide CVSS, CWE, detailed impact, exploit prerequisites, or vendor remediation text.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely limited to organizations still running IRIX 5.0.x through 6.2 with the Desktop searchbook component available to users.
Exploitation context
No source in the provided bundle reports active exploitation, and CISA KEV is false. The issue appears local in nature because it concerns permissions on user files.
Researcher notes
Public data is sparse. The CVE record names IRIX 5.0.x through 6.2 and insecure permissions for iconbook and searchbook files, but lacks affected CPEs, CVSS, CWE, patch references, and exploit details.
Mitigation direction
- Identify whether any IRIX 5.0.x through 6.2 systems remain in use.
- Check SGI or trusted archival vendor guidance for fixes or workarounds.
- Restrict access to legacy IRIX systems until exposure is understood.
- Back up affected user data before making permission or software changes.
Validation and detection
- Inventory IRIX versions and installed Desktop searchbook components.
- Review permissions on user iconbook and searchbook files.
- Confirm whether vendor patches or advisories exist in internal archives.
- Document compensating controls for any unsupported IRIX hosts.
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-1999-1401 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
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.