CVE-1999-1546 in Navio NC Browser
Summary
by MITRE
netstation.navio-com.rte 1.1.0.1 configuration script for Navio NC on IBM AIX exports /tmp over NFS as world-readable and world-writable.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/18/2026
The vulnerability described in CVE-1999-1546 represents a critical misconfiguration issue within the netstation.navio-com.rte 1.1.0.1 package designed for Navio NC systems running on IBM AIX operating systems. This flaw manifests in the configuration script's improper handling of NFS (Network File System) exports, specifically exposing the /tmp directory with overly permissive permissions. The root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate security considerations during the package installation and configuration process, where system administrators may have unknowingly created a security exposure by allowing world-readable and world-writable access to the temporary directory.
The technical implications of this vulnerability are severe and directly align with CWE-732, which addresses improper permission assignment for critical resources. When the /tmp directory is exported over NFS with world-readable and world-writable permissions, it creates an attack surface where any remote user can both read and modify files within this temporary storage area. This misconfiguration allows for potential privilege escalation attacks, data integrity violations, and unauthorized access to system resources. The vulnerability specifically impacts systems where the Navio NC configuration script fails to properly set restrictive permissions on the exported directory, creating a persistent security weakness that remains active until manually corrected.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability significantly increases the attack surface for systems running IBM AIX with Navio NC components. Attackers can exploit this weakness by connecting to the exported NFS share and manipulating temporary files, potentially leading to system compromise through various attack vectors including but not limited to file injection attacks, privilege escalation, and denial of service conditions. The impact extends beyond immediate system access as the /tmp directory often contains temporary files from various applications, making it a prime target for malicious activity. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1078 for valid accounts and T1499 for endpoint denial of service, as well as T1548 for privilege escalation through compromised system resources.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening measures. System administrators should immediately restrict NFS export permissions on the /tmp directory by implementing proper access controls and ensuring that only authorized users and systems have appropriate access levels. The configuration script should be updated to enforce restrictive permissions during installation, preventing the creation of overly permissive exports. Organizations should implement regular security audits to identify and correct similar misconfigurations across their network infrastructure. Additionally, monitoring mechanisms should be deployed to detect unauthorized access attempts to NFS exports, particularly those involving temporary directories. The remediation process should include reviewing all NFS export configurations and ensuring compliance with security best practices as outlined in industry standards such as the Center for Internet Security (CIS) benchmarks for IBM AIX systems, which emphasize the importance of proper file system permissions and network service hardening to prevent unauthorized access and privilege escalation attacks.