CVE-1999-0367 in NetBSD
Summary
by MITRE
NetBSD netstat command allows local users to access kernel memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/18/2026
The vulnerability described in CVE-1999-0367 represents a critical information disclosure flaw in the NetBSD operating system's netstat command implementation. This issue affects local users who can exploit the command to access kernel memory directly, potentially exposing sensitive system information that should remain protected within the kernel space. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and memory access controls within the netstat utility, which fails to properly sanitize user inputs before processing network statistics and kernel data structures.
The technical flaw manifests when the netstat command processes certain arguments or options that trigger memory access patterns allowing unauthorized reading of kernel memory regions. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of information disclosure, where attackers can extract confidential data from the kernel's memory space, including but not limited to system configuration details, network connection information, and potentially sensitive kernel structures. The vulnerability is classified as a local privilege escalation vector since it requires local system access but can provide attackers with elevated information access that may be leveraged for further exploitation.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security risks for NetBSD systems, as it allows local users to potentially gain insights into system internals that could aid in crafting more sophisticated attacks. The extracted kernel memory information could reveal network connection states, socket information, process details, and other sensitive data that might be used to identify system weaknesses or plan targeted attacks. This vulnerability particularly affects systems where local user access is not properly restricted, as it could be exploited by malicious users with legitimate access to the system.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses information exposure, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1005 for data hijacking and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant security patches from NetBSD, restricting local user access where possible, and monitoring for suspicious netstat usage patterns. System administrators should also consider implementing additional access controls and privilege restrictions to limit the potential impact of such local vulnerabilities, as the information disclosure could serve as a stepping stone for more advanced attacks. Regular security auditing and kernel memory access monitoring should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts of this type of vulnerability.