CVE-1999-0146: High severity NCSA campas vulnerability

Published Jul 15, 1997
·
Updated

The campas CGI program provided with some NCSA web servers allows an attacker to execute arbitrary commands via encoded carriage return characters in the query string, as demonstrated by reading the password file.

Affected Software

2 affected components
NCSA campas
NCSA servers

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Remove

    Remove NCSA CAMPAS from your environment.

    Uninstall or remove the campas CGI program from affected NCSA HTTPd installations to eliminate the vulnerable CGI component.

  2. Configuration

    Disable the campas CGI in the web server configuration (prevent execution or remove the CGI mapping) so query strings cannot be handled by campas.

    NCSA HTTPd campas CGI enabled = false
  3. Compensating control

    If immediate removal or disabling is not possible, restrict access to the campas CGI to trusted hosts or internal networks using firewall rules, ACLs, or web-server access controls.

  4. Operational

    Because the vulnerability can allow reading the password file, assume possible credential exposure: rotate affected system and user credentials and audit logs for signs of exploitation.

Event History

Jul 15, 1997
CVE Published
04:00 AM
Data Sourced
via NVD·04:00 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Sep 29, 1999
CVE Published
via MITRE·08:00 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·08:00 AM
Description

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-1999-0146?

CVE-1999-0146 has a high severity rating due to the potential for remote command execution.

2

How do I fix CVE-1999-0146?

To fix CVE-1999-0146, it is recommended to remove or restrict access to the campas CGI program on affected NCSA web servers.

3

What systems are affected by CVE-1999-0146?

CVE-1999-0146 affects certain versions of the NCSA CAMPAS CGI program and NCSA HTTPd web server.

4

What type of attack is associated with CVE-1999-0146?

CVE-1999-0146 is associated with remote command execution attacks through the manipulation of HTTP query strings.

5

Is CVE-1999-0146 still a relevant threat today?

While CVE-1999-0146 is an older vulnerability, any systems still using affected software may remain at risk.

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203