CVE-1999-1512 in Virus Scanner
Summary
by MITRE
The AMaViS virus scanner 0.2.0-pre4 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands as root via an infected mail message with shell metacharacters in the reply-to field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/20/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-1999-1512 represents a critical command injection flaw in the AMaViS virus scanner version 0.2.0-pre4 and earlier. This vulnerability exists within the mail processing pipeline where the system fails to properly sanitize user input from the reply-to field of infected email messages. The flaw allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges, creating a severe privilege escalation vector that could compromise entire mail servers and underlying systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the AMaViS scanning process. When processing infected mail messages, the system incorporates the reply-to field directly into shell commands without proper escaping or filtering of special characters. This creates a classic command injection vulnerability where attackers can append malicious shell metacharacters such as semicolons, ampersands, or backticks to the reply-to field, which then get executed by the system's shell when processing the infected message. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the root level, meaning any successful exploitation results in complete system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple mail server compromise to encompass broader network security implications. Attackers could leverage this flaw to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, establish persistent backdoors, or use the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks against other network resources. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on AMaViS for email virus scanning, potentially exposing them to data breaches, service disruption, and regulatory compliance violations. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require physical access or prior authentication, making it particularly attractive to threat actors seeking automated exploitation opportunities.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-78, which specifically addresses "Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in OS Command" and represents a classic example of how insecure input handling can lead to privilege escalation. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1059.004 for command and script interpreter, and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation. The vulnerability also demonstrates poor defense in depth principles, as the system fails to implement proper input validation at multiple layers of the processing pipeline. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including patching to newer versions of AMaViS, implementing strict input validation for all email fields, and deploying network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. Additionally, monitoring for unusual command execution patterns and implementing proper privilege separation would help reduce the overall risk profile associated with this vulnerability.