CVE-1999-1540: shell-lock in Cactus Software Shell Lock uses weak encryption (trivial encoding) which allows attackers to...

Security readout for executives and security teams

This CVE concerns an old source-code protection tool, Cactus Software Shell Lock. Its shell-lock encoding was weak enough that protected shell script source could be recovered easily. The main business risk is unintended disclosure of proprietary script logic or embedded secrets, not direct remote takeover by itself. Exposure is likely limited to legacy environments that still use shell-lock or distribute shell scripts protected by Cactus Software Shell Lock. No affected version range or CPE is provided, so asset discovery must rely on product names, build scripts, packages, and historical deployment records. Prioritize this when legacy protected shell scripts exist or were externally distributed. It is not proven to be actively exploited, but it can undermine confidentiality if the organization assumed shell-lock hid sensitive code or secrets. Mitigation focus: Identify any systems, repositories, or deployment packages using Cactus Software Shell Lock or shell-lock.; Do not rely on shell-lock for confidentiality of shell script source code.; Check vendor or archived advisory guidance before assuming any patch exists..

Prepared

Jul 1, 2026, 08:44 UTC (UTC+00:00)

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.