How severe is CVE-1999-1186?

CVE-1999-1186 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 7.2, rated high severity.

Is CVE-1999-1186 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (32nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-1999-1186?

CVE-1999-1186 primarily affects Rxvt. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-1999-1186?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-1999-1186 published?

CVE-1999-1186 was published on 1996-01-02 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-1999-1186

CVE-1999-1186 is a high-severity vulnerability in Rxvt with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 7.2. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 2.0 base score 7.2)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (32nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Affected product: Rxvt
Published: 1996-01-02
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

rxvt, when compiled with the PRINT_PIPE option in various Linux operating systems including Linux Slackware 3.0 and RedHat 2.1, allows local users to gain root privileges by specifying a malicious program using the -print-pipe command line parameter.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-1999-1186?: rxvt, when compiled with the PRINT_PIPE option in various Linux operating systems including Linux Slackware 3.0 and RedHat 2.1, allows local users to gain root privileges by specifying a malicious program using the -print-pipe command line parameter.
How severe is CVE-1999-1186?: CVE-1999-1186 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 7.2, rated high severity.
Is CVE-1999-1186 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (32nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-1999-1186?: CVE-1999-1186 primarily affects Rxvt. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-1999-1186?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-1999-1186 published?: CVE-1999-1186 was published on 1996-01-02 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=87602167418966&w=2

Affected products (3)

cpe:2.3:a:rxvt:rxvt:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:slackware:slackware_linux:3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Rxvt

CVE-2003-0066 — High (CVSS 7.5): The rxvt terminal emulator 2.7.8 and earlier allows attackers to modify the window title via a certain character escape…
CVE-2003-0022 — Medium (CVSS 5.0): The "screen dump" feature in rxvt 2.7.8 allows attackers to overwrite arbitrary files via a certain character escape…
CVE-2003-0023 — Medium (CVSS 5.0): The menuBar feature in rxvt 2.7.8 allows attackers to modify menu options and execute arbitrary commands via a certain…
CVE-2000-0476 — Medium (CVSS 5.0): xterm, Eterm, and rxvt allow an attacker to cause a denial of service by embedding certain escape characters which…
CVE-2001-1077 — Medium (CVSS 4.6): Buffer overflow in tt_printf function of rxvt 2.6.2 allows local users to gain privileges via a long (1) -T or (2)…
CVE-2008-1142 — Low (CVSS 3.7): rxvt 2.6.4 opens a terminal window on :0 if the DISPLAY environment variable is not set, which might allow local users…

All CVEs affecting Rxvt →