CVE-1999-1522 in Web Server
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in htmlparse.pike in Roxen Web Server 1.3.11 and earlier, possibly related to recursive parsing and referer tags in RXML.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/19/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-1999-1522 resides within the htmlparse.pike component of the Roxen Web Server version 1.3.11 and earlier systems. This represents a significant security flaw that manifests through the server's handling of recursive parsing operations combined with referer tag processing within RXML contexts. The Roxen Web Server, a powerful and flexible web server platform built on the Pike programming language, was widely deployed in enterprise environments during the late 1990s and early 2000s, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations relying on its services.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of recursive parsing mechanisms when processing HTML content that contains referer tags within RXML structures. When the htmlparse.pike module encounters nested or self-referential HTML constructs combined with RXML processing directives, it fails to properly manage the recursive parsing stack. This flaw creates a potential buffer overflow condition or stack corruption scenario that can be exploited by malicious actors. The vulnerability operates at the parsing layer of the web server, specifically targeting how the system processes and interprets structured markup content that includes referer metadata within RXML contexts.
The operational impact of CVE-1999-1522 extends beyond simple service disruption, potentially enabling remote code execution or denial of service conditions. Attackers could craft malicious HTML documents containing carefully constructed referer tags that trigger the recursive parsing flaw when processed by the Roxen server. This could result in the web server crashing, becoming unresponsive, or potentially allowing arbitrary code execution on the affected system. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where the server processes user-uploaded content or where external references are commonly accepted, as it could be exploited through web forms, file uploads, or cross-site referer attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of the Roxen Web Server to version 1.3.12 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the recursive parsing logic in htmlparse.pike. Organizations should also implement strict input validation policies that filter or sanitize HTML content containing referer tags before processing. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can help detect and block malicious payloads targeting this specific vulnerability. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and CWE-122, stack-based buffer overflow, while also mapping to ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploitation of vulnerabilities in web applications. System administrators should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unusual parsing behavior or excessive resource consumption that might indicate exploitation attempts.