CVE-1999-1491 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE
abuse.console in Red Hat 2.1 uses relative pathnames to find and execute the undrv program, which allows local users to execute arbitrary commands via a path that points to a Trojan horse program.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/16/2026
The vulnerability described in CVE-1999-1491 represents a classic path traversal and privilege escalation issue affecting Red Hat Linux 2.1 systems. This flaw resides within the abuse.console component which employs relative pathnames when locating and executing the undrv program. The core technical weakness stems from the improper handling of file paths during program execution, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to manipulate the system's execution flow through carefully crafted file placement.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows local users to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system. When the abuse.console component attempts to locate the undrv program using relative pathnames, an attacker can place a malicious Trojan horse program in a directory that gets searched before the legitimate program location. This behavior directly violates the principle of least privilege and creates a dangerous escalation path for local attackers who can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized system access and potentially elevate their privileges.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-22 Path Traversal and CWE-78 Command Injection, both of which are fundamental security weaknesses in software development. The issue demonstrates poor input validation and insecure programming practices where relative path resolution is not properly secured against manipulation. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1068, which involves local privilege escalation through the exploitation of system vulnerabilities, and T1548.002, which covers abuse of group privileges.
The root cause of this vulnerability lies in the insecure path resolution mechanism within the Red Hat 2.1 console component. The system's failure to properly validate or resolve absolute paths before executing programs creates an attack surface where malicious users can substitute legitimate executables with their own malicious versions. This weakness specifically affects the execution context of the console utility and demonstrates how seemingly innocuous path resolution logic can create critical security holes.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing absolute path resolution for all program execution calls within the affected component. System administrators should ensure that all executable paths are explicitly defined using absolute paths rather than relying on relative path resolution. Additionally, proper file permissions and access controls should be enforced to prevent unauthorized users from placing malicious executables in critical directories. The system should also implement proper privilege separation and validation mechanisms to ensure that only authorized programs are executed with elevated privileges. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar path traversal vulnerabilities in other system components.