CVE-1999-0491
The prompt parsing in bash allows a local user to execute commands as another user by creating a directory with the name of the command to execute.
Does this matter?
A public exploit is published in Exploit-DB (verified), so the technical barrier is gone even though the severity is medium and EPSS is 0.9%. Treat it as high on anything reachable from the internet.
Description
The prompt parsing in bash allows a local user to execute commands as another user by creating a directory with the name of the command to execute.
- CVSS 2.0
- 4.6 MEDIUMAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
- EPSS
- 0.86% probability · 58th percentile
- Public exploits
- 1 in Exploit-DB · verified · first 20 April 1999
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-94
- Affected
- gnu/bash
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS 0.9% since 26 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
Public exploits (1)
Entries in Exploit-DB that cite this CVE. Links go to the Exploit-DB page and to the file in the public repository; nothing is hosted here. A verified tick means the Exploit-DB team confirmed the exploit works against the stated version.
References
- ftp://ftp.calderasystems.com/pub/OpenLinux/security/CSSA-1999-008.0.txtPatch, Vendor Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/119
- http://www.securityfocus.com/templates/archive.pike?list=1&msg=Pine.LNX.4.10.9904202114070.6623-100000%40smooth.Operator.org
- ftp://ftp.calderasystems.com/pub/OpenLinux/security/CSSA-1999-008.0.txtPatch, Vendor Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/119
- http://www.securityfocus.com/templates/archive.pike?list=1&msg=Pine.LNX.4.10.9904202114070.6623-100000%40smooth.Operator.org
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.