CVE-1999-0158 in PIX
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco PIX firewall manager (PFM) on Windows NT allows attackers to connect to port 8080 on the PFM server and retrieve any file whose name and location is known.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-1999-0158 represents a critical security flaw in Cisco PIX Firewall Manager version 1.0 running on Windows NT systems. This issue stems from insufficient access controls and improper input validation within the PFM component that manages Cisco PIX firewalls. The vulnerability specifically affects the web-based management interface that operates on port 8080, which serves as the primary attack vector for unauthorized access to sensitive system files.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through unauthenticated connections to the designated port 8080 where the PFM server listens for incoming requests. Attackers can leverage this weakness to perform arbitrary file retrieval operations by crafting specific HTTP requests that target known file paths and names within the system. The flaw essentially allows for directory traversal attacks and unauthorized file access without proper authentication mechanisms. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. The underlying cause lies in the PFM's failure to properly validate and sanitize user-supplied input before using it in file system operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with access to potentially sensitive configuration files, log data, and other system resources that could be used for further exploitation. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could obtain administrative credentials, firewall configuration details, and other confidential information that would significantly compromise the security posture of the protected network. This weakness creates an ideal environment for attackers to conduct reconnaissance activities and plan more sophisticated attacks against the network infrastructure. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213, which involves data from information repositories, as attackers can extract valuable data from the compromised system. Additionally, this flaw contributes to broader network compromise scenarios where attackers can use the retrieved information to map network topology and identify additional targets within the environment.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of network segmentation to isolate the PFM server from untrusted networks, followed by proper access control configuration that restricts access to port 8080 to authorized personnel only. System administrators should disable the PFM service if it is not actively required, or apply the latest security patches provided by Cisco to address this specific flaw. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual access patterns to port 8080, and firewall rules should be configured to block external access to this port entirely. Organizations should also implement regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other network management components. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and access control mechanisms in web-based management interfaces, as well as the necessity of keeping network security tools updated to address known security flaws. This case serves as a reminder of the critical importance of securing management interfaces that are exposed to network traffic, as they often represent the most accessible entry points for attackers seeking to compromise network security infrastructure.