CVE-1999-0562 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
the registry in windows nt can be accessed remotely by users who are not administrators.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/25/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-1999-0562 represents a critical access control flaw in the Windows nt operating system registry subsystem. This issue allows non-administrative users to remotely access and potentially manipulate registry entries that should be restricted to privileged administrators only. The registry in windows nt serves as a central repository for system configuration data, application settings, and security policies that govern how the operating system functions. When this access control mechanism fails, it creates a significant security risk that can be exploited by unauthorized users to gain elevated privileges or modify critical system parameters.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper implementation of remote registry access controls within the windows nt architecture. The registry service in windows nt was designed to allow remote administration capabilities, but the implementation failed to properly validate user permissions when establishing remote connections. This flaw operates at the kernel level where the security model for registry access should enforce strict authentication and authorization checks. The vulnerability specifically affects the remote registry access functionality that enables administrators to manage system settings from remote locations, but it inadvertently permits any authenticated user to access registry entries without proper administrative privileges. This represents a classic privilege escalation vulnerability where standard users can obtain access to administrative resources through flawed access control enforcement.
The operational impact of CVE-1999-0562 extends beyond simple unauthorized access to potentially catastrophic system compromise. An attacker who exploits this vulnerability can modify critical system registry keys that control security policies, authentication mechanisms, and system behavior. This could enable the attacker to disable security features, modify user permissions, install malicious software, or create backdoor access points. The remote nature of this vulnerability means that attackers do not need physical access to the system or local administrative privileges to exploit it. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in networked environments where multiple users have access to the system and the registry service is exposed to remote connections. The vulnerability can be leveraged as a stepping stone for more extensive attacks, potentially leading to complete system compromise and network infiltration.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with several common attack patterns documented in the attack technique framework, particularly those involving privilege escalation and lateral movement within networks. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability violates fundamental security principles outlined in various industry standards including the common weakness enumeration (cwe) classification for insufficient access control. Organizations implementing windows nt systems would be vulnerable to attacks that exploit this weakness, potentially leading to data breaches, system corruption, and unauthorized access to sensitive information. The vulnerability also demonstrates the importance of proper privilege separation and access control implementation in operating system design, highlighting the need for comprehensive security testing of system services. Mitigation strategies would include disabling unnecessary remote registry access, implementing proper firewall rules, and applying security patches that correct the access control implementation to ensure that only authorized administrators can access registry entries remotely.