FreeBSDOperating system
CVE-1999-0761
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedBuffer overflow in FreeBSD fts library routines allows local user to modify arbitrary files via the periodic program.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceBuffer overflow in FreeBSD's fts (File Tree Search) library routines allows a local authenticated user to gain elevated privileges and modify arbitrary files by exploiting the overflow through the periodic system program, which invokes fts functions during routine system maintenance tasks.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
FreeBSDOperating system
= 1.1.5.1= 2.0= 2.0.5= 2.1.0= 2.1.5= 2.1.7.1= 2.2.2= 2.2.3= 2.2.4= 2.2.5= 2.2.6= 2.2.8CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check FreeBSD versionRun `uname -a` or `cat /etc/motd` to identify the installed FreeBSD versionAffected if The version matches any of these: 1.1.5.1, 2.0, 2.0.5, 2.1.0, 2.1.5, 2.1.7.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.3, 2.2.4, 2.2.5, 2.2.6, or 2.2.8
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Verify periodic system is enabledCheck for the presence of /etc/periodic.conf or scripts in /etc/periodic/ and check if periodic jobs are scheduled in crontabAffected if The periodic system is actively running maintenance tasks on the system
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Check for fts library usageExamine which binaries reference the fts library using `ldd` on system binaries or check /usr/lib/libfts* for the library fileAffected if The fts library is present and linked to binaries that run with elevated privileges
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Review periodic job execution logsCheck system logs in /var/log/ for periodic execution entries and look for any unexpected file modifications or privilege escalation indicatorsAffected if Logs show unusual behavior, unauthorized file modifications, or unexpected privilege escalation during periodic job execution
If the system runs an affected FreeBSD version (1.1.5.1 through 2.2.8) AND has the periodic system enabled with fts library in use, the environment is potentially vulnerable to local privilege escalation via this buffer overflow.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataApply FreeBSD security patches for this vulnerability; if running legacy FreeBSD systems, upgrade to a supported release. Ensure periodic program runs with minimal required privileges and monitor for unauthorized file modifications.
Fix this in FreeBSD
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,088.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-1999-0761 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-1999-0761 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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