# CVE-1999-0246: HP Remote Watch remote root access vulnerability

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-1999-0246-hp-remote-watch-remote-root-access-vulnerability  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 1996-10-01. Updated: 2026-05-10  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-1999-0246 · Severity: critical · CVSS 10 · Published 1996-10-01

HP Remote Watch, a tool used for remote system monitoring and management, contains a critical security flaw. This vulnerability allows an unauthorized person to gain full administrative control (root access) over the system from a remote location. An attacker could use this access to steal sensitive data, shut down services, or completely compromise the affected server.

Technologies: [Hp-Ux](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/hp-ux). Vendors: [Hp](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/hp).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-1999-0246 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-1999-0246 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-1999-0246?** Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 10, published 1 October 1996.

**Which products and versions are affected?** HP Remote Watch.

**Is there a fix for CVE-1999-0246?** 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-1999-0246 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a network appliance.

**Am I affected by CVE-1999-0246?** Check whether you run Hp-Ux or Hp Remote Watch. 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

A critical vulnerability in HP Remote Watch allows for remote unauthorized access with root privileges. The flaw is exploitable over the network without requiring authentication (AV:N/AC:L/Au:N). Successful exploitation results in a complete compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the host system. While specific technical root causes like buffer overflows or insecure defaults are not detailed in the legacy advisory, the impact is a full remote system compromise. Users should verify if this legacy monitoring service is still active in their environment and apply vendor-provided patches or disable the service.

## Affected products

- HP Remote Watch

## Timeline

- 1996-10-01: disclosed

## References

- [https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/CVE-1999-0246](https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/CVE-1999-0246)

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