# CVE-1999-0040: Memory corruption in n/a

> Local attackers can exploit a buffer overflow in the Xt library to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 29 Sep 1999
- **Updated:** 1 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-ggg5-x2fh-6pvx

## What is CVE-1999-0040?

CVE-1999-0040 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Freebsd Freebsd, published on 29 Sep 1999. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Buffer overflow in Xt library of X Windowing System allows local users to execute commands with root privileges.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-1999-0040?

It affects 10 products.


Products: Bsdi Bsd Os, Freebsd Freebsd, Hp Hp-Ux, Ibm Aix, Nec Asl Ux 4800, Nec Ews-Ux V, Nec Up-Ux V, Sgi Irix, Sun Solaris, Sun Sunos.

## How do I fix CVE-1999-0040?

No fix has been published for CVE-1999-0040 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-1999-0040 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-1999-0040 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Xt Library - Local Privilege Escalation (exploitdb)
- LibXt - 'XtAppInitialize()' Local Overflow *xterm (exploitdb)
- BSD/OS 2.1 / Caldera UnixWare 7/7.1.0 / FreeBSD 1.1.5.1/2.0 / HP HP-UX 10.34 / IBM AIX 4.2 / SGI IRIX 6.3 / SunOS 4.1.4 - 'libXt Library' Local Overflow / Local Privilege Escalation (1) (exploitdb)
- BSD/OS 2.1 / Caldera UnixWare 7/7.1.0 / FreeBSD 1.1.5.1/2.0 / HP HP-UX 10.34 / IBM AIX 4.2 / SGI IRIX 6.3 / SunOS 4.1.4 - 'libXt Library' Local Overflow / Local Privilege Escalation (2) (exploitdb)
- BSD/OS 2.1 / Caldera UnixWare 7/7.1.0 / FreeBSD 1.1.5.1/2.0 / HP HP-UX 10.34 / IBM AIX 4.2 / SGI IRIX 6.3 / SunOS 4.1.4 - 'libXt Library' Local Overflow / Local Privilege Escalation (3) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Freebsd Freebsd

- [CVE-1999-0323](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-1999-0323/): Security feature bypass in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-1999-0165](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-1999-0165/): NFS cache poisoning. (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-1999-0798](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-1999-0798/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-1999-0879](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-1999-0879/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-1999-0002](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-1999-0002/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-1999-0040 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-1999-0040 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Freebsd Freebsd, published on 29 Sep 1999. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-1999-0040 exists.

Affected product: Freebsd Freebsd. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-1999-0040/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-1999-0040/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-1999-0040
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-1999-0040
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-1999-0040

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-1999-0040/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.