# CVE-1999-1557: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can trigger a buffer overflow in the IMAP login function to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.0 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 12 Sep 2001
- **Updated:** 1 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5fwq-v23g-x73p

## What is CVE-1999-1557?

CVE-1999-1557 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 12 Sep 2001. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Buffer overflow in the login functions in IMAP server (imapd) in Ipswitch IMail 5.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service and possibly execute arbitrary code via (1) a long user name or (2) a long password.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-1999-1557?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ipswitch Imail.

## How do I fix CVE-1999-1557?

No fix has been published for CVE-1999-1557 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-1999-1557 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-1999-1557 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Ipswitch IMail 5.0 - Imapd Buffer Overflow (Denial of Service) (PoC) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2005-1255](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-1255/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2005-1256](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-1256/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-0297](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0297/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2002-0777](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-0777/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-1999-1046](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-1999-1046/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-1999-1557 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-1999-1557 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 12 Sep 2001. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-1999-1557 exists.

Affected product: n/a. 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-1999-1557/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-1999-1557/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-1999-1557
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-1999-1557
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-1999-1557

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-1999-1557/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.