# CVE-1999-0018: Sun Solaris statd buffer overflow

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-1999-0018-sun-solaris-statd-buffer-overflow  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 1997-12-05. Updated: 2026-05-10  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-1999-0018 · Severity: critical · CVSS 10 · Published 1997-12-05

A critical vulnerability exists in the statd service, a component used in older Unix-based operating systems to monitor network status. An attacker can exploit this flaw over the network to gain full administrative control (root access) of the affected system. This could lead to complete data theft, system destruction, or unauthorized access to the corporate network.

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-1999-0018 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-1999-0018 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-1999-0018?** Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 10, published 5 December 1997.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Sun Solaris 2.4, 2.5, 2.5.1; Sun SunOS 5.4, 5.5, 5.5.1.

**Is there a fix for CVE-1999-0018?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-1999-0018 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in an operating system.

**Am I affected by CVE-1999-0018?** Check whether anything you run is named in the advisory. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

This vulnerability is a classic buffer overflow within the statd (Network Status Monitor) daemon. The flaw is triggered when the service improperly handles specially crafted input, leading to memory corruption. Because statd typically runs with high privileges, a remote, unauthenticated attacker can exploit this over the network to execute arbitrary code with root authority. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of SunOS and Solaris. Patches were historically released by the vendor to address the bounds-checking failure in the affected component.

## Affected products

- Sun Solaris 2.4, 2.5, 2.5.1
- Sun SunOS 5.4, 5.5, 5.5.1

## Timeline

- 1997-12-05: disclosed
- 1997-12-05: advisory

## References

- [http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/127](http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/127)