CVE-1999-1359 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
When the Ntconfig.pol file is used on a server whose name is longer than 13 characters, Windows NT does not properly enforce policies for global groups, which could allow users to bypass restrictions that were intended by those policies.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-1999-1359 represents a critical access control flaw in Windows NT systems that stems from improper handling of group policy enforcement when server names exceed 13 characters in length. This issue specifically affects the Ntconfig.pol file processing mechanism which is fundamental to Windows NT's group policy implementation and security enforcement framework. The flaw operates at the intersection of system naming conventions and security policy application, creating a scenario where legitimate security controls can be circumvented through simple naming manipulation.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the Windows NT kernel's handling of global group membership verification when processing group policy files. When a server name surpasses the 13-character limit, the system's internal string processing functions fail to properly resolve global group references, leading to incomplete or incorrect policy enforcement. This occurs because the group policy processing code does not adequately account for the truncation or modification of server names during the policy application process, particularly in the context of global group resolution. The vulnerability specifically impacts the Local Security Authority (LSA) subsystem which is responsible for managing security policies and group membership verification. This weakness creates an implicit privilege escalation path where users can bypass intended restrictions by leveraging the system's failure to properly enforce policy boundaries when server names exceed the specified character limit.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple access control bypass to potentially enable unauthorized privilege escalation and privilege abuse within Windows NT environments. Attackers can exploit this flaw to gain unauthorized access to restricted resources, bypass authentication controls, and potentially escalate their privileges to administrative levels. The vulnerability affects systems where the server name exceeds 13 characters, which could include environments with complex domain naming structures, extended organizational naming conventions, or systems deployed in enterprise environments with lengthy server identifiers. The flaw particularly impacts systems that rely heavily on group policy enforcement for security controls, making it a significant concern for organizations with robust security policies and access control requirements.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Access Control Bypass and maps to several ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation through access token manipulation and exploitation of system configuration weaknesses. The flaw demonstrates how seemingly innocuous system naming conventions can create security vulnerabilities that undermine fundamental access control mechanisms. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including server name standardization to ensure all server names remain under 13 characters, regular security policy audits to verify proper enforcement, and monitoring for unusual access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing network segmentation and additional access controls to limit the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts, as this vulnerability could enable attackers to bypass multiple layers of security controls. The remediation strategy should also include comprehensive testing of group policy enforcement mechanisms to ensure proper functionality across all system configurations.