UNKNOWN CVSS 2.1
Published: 1999-10-04

CVE-1999-1540

cactus_software shell-lock Security Advisory (CVE-1999-1540)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-1999-1540 impacting cactus_software shell-lock. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 2.1 (UNKNOWN).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
shell-lock in Cactus Software Shell Lock uses weak encryption (trivial encoding) which allows attackers to easily decrypt and obtain the source code.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Local (AV:L)
Requires local system execution permissions
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Integrity
None (I:N)
No system modification impact
Availability
None (A:N)
No system availability impact

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product cactus_software / shell-lock
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration NVD-CWE-Other

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-1999-1540 impacting cactus_software shell-lock.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-1999-1540.yaml
id: cve-1999-1540

info:
  name: cactus_software shell-lock - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: unknown
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-1999-1540 affecting cactus_software shell-lock.
    Evaluation: shell-lock in Cactus Software Shell Lock uses weak encryption (trivial encoding) which allows attackers to easily decrypt and obtain the source code....
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-1999-1540
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
    cvss-score: 2.1
    cve-id: CVE-1999-1540
    cwe-id: NVD-CWE-Other
  tags: cve,cve-1999-1540,cactus_software,shell-lock,unknown

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "shell-lock"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-1999-1540.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-1999-1540
# Target: cactus_software shell-lock | CVSS: 2.1 (UNKNOWN)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-1999-1540 (cactus_software shell-lock)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against cactus_software shell-lock scope (*).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-1999-1540.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-1999-1540
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install shell-lock 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade shell-lock 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update shell-lock

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i shell-lock 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i shell-lock

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-1999-1540 in cactus_software shell-lock?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update cactus_software shell-lock packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-1999-1540?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-1999-1540?

CVE-1999-1540 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 2.1 (UNKNOWN). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
2.1
UNKNOWN SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-1999-1540
Weakness NVD-CWE-Other
Vendor cactus_software
Product shell-lock
Published 1999-10-04
Vector AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N