Microsoft IIS 3.0/4.0 SSL resource consumption

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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Current Exploit Price (≈)
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CTI Interest Score
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5.1$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability categorized as problematic has been discovered in Microsoft IIS 3.0/4.0. This issue affects some unknown processing of the component SSL Handler. Executing a manipulation can lead to resource consumption. This vulnerability is tracked as CVE-1999-1537. No exploit exists. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Microsoft IIS 3.0/4.0 (Web Server). It has been declared as problematic. This vulnerability affects an unknown functionality of the component SSL Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a resource consumption vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-400. The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource, thereby enabling an actor to influence the amount of resources consumed, eventually leading to the exhaustion of available resources. As an impact it is known to affect availability. CVE summarizes:

IIS 3.x and 4.x does not distinguish between pages requiring encryption and those that do not, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (resource exhaustion) via SSL requests to the HTTPS port for normally unencrypted files, which will cause IIS to perform extra work to send the files over SSL.

The issue has been introduced in 05/15/1997. The weakness was disclosed 07/07/1999 as not defined posting (NTBugtraq). The advisory is available at marc.theaimsgroup.com. This vulnerability was named CVE-1999-1537. The exploitation appears to be easy. The attack can be initiated remotely. No form of authentication is required for a successful exploitation. The technical details are unknown and an exploit is not available.

The vulnerability was handled as a non-public zero-day exploit for at least 783 days. During that time the estimated underground price was around $5k-$25k.

Upgrading to version 5.0 eliminates this vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (2352) and SecurityFocus (BID 521†). The entry VDB-14721 is pretty similar. If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

Productinfo

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Vendor

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Version

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Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.1

VulDB Base Score: 5.3
VulDB Temp Score: 5.1
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Resource consumption
CWE: CWE-400 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Upgrade: IIS 5.0

Timelineinfo

05/15/1997 🔍
07/07/1999 +783 days 🔍
07/07/1999 +0 days 🔍
07/07/1999 +0 days 🔍
06/21/2014 +5463 days 🔍
04/19/2026 +4320 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: microsoft.com

Advisory: marc.theaimsgroup.com
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-1999-1537 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-1999-1537
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-14722
X-Force: 2352 - SSL and IIS denial of service
SecurityFocus: 521 - NT IIS SSL DoS Vulnerability

See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 06/21/2014 12:05
Updated: 04/19/2026 06:12
Changes: 06/21/2014 12:05 (43), 04/13/2019 15:01 (16), 04/19/2026 06:12 (18)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

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