CVE-1999-1323 in Norton Antivirus
Summary
by MITRE
Norton AntiVirus for Internet Email Gateways (NAVIEG) 1.0.1.7 and earlier, and Norton AntiVirus for MS Exchange (NAVMSE) 1.5 and earlier, store the administrator password in cleartext in (1) the navieg.ini file for NAVIEG, and (2) the ModifyPassword registry key in NAVMSE.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/19/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in legacy Norton AntiVirus products designed for email gateways and microsoft exchange environments. The issue stems from poor credential storage practices where administrator passwords are persisted in plain text format rather than being properly encrypted or hashed. This configuration affects both the Norton AntiVirus for Internet Email Gateways version 1.0.1.7 and earlier, as well as Norton AntiVirus for MS Exchange version 1.5 and earlier. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-312, which specifically addresses the exposure of sensitive information through cleartext storage, making it a direct violation of fundamental security principles.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves storing administrative credentials in easily accessible configuration files and registry entries without any form of encryption or obfuscation. For NAVIEG, the password is stored in the navieg.ini file which is typically readable by any user with file system access to the server. Similarly, NAVMSE stores the password in the ModifyPassword registry key, which can be accessed by users with appropriate registry permissions. This cleartext storage approach directly contradicts industry best practices and security frameworks that mandate proper credential handling and storage mechanisms. The vulnerability creates an attack surface where unauthorized users can gain immediate administrative access to the email security infrastructure, effectively bypassing all authentication mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching within enterprise environments that rely on these legacy security solutions. An attacker who gains access to the affected system can immediately escalate privileges and gain full administrative control over the email gateway or exchange server. This provides complete access to email traffic, user accounts, and potentially sensitive organizational data flowing through the system. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects email security infrastructure, which typically serves as a critical boundary control point for organizations. Once compromised, attackers can eavesdrop on communications, modify email content, or even use the compromised system as a pivot point for accessing other network resources. The impact extends beyond immediate credential compromise to include potential data exfiltration, message manipulation, and disruption of email services.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action to address the cleartext credential storage issue. Organizations should first identify all affected systems and immediately implement proper credential encryption mechanisms. The recommended approach involves implementing strong encryption for stored credentials and ensuring that administrative passwords are never stored in plain text format. System administrators should also implement strict access controls on configuration files and registry entries containing sensitive information, limiting access to only authorized personnel with legitimate business needs. Additionally, organizations should consider migrating away from these legacy products to modern security solutions that properly implement credential management best practices. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following security standards such as those outlined in the mitre attack framework where credential access represents a common initial compromise vector. Regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar cleartext storage issues in other legacy systems and ensure proper implementation of secure credential handling practices across all organizational infrastructure.