# CVE-1999-0962: HP HP-UX buffer overflow in passwd command

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-1999-0962-hp-hp-ux-buffer-overflow-in-passwd-command  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 1997-05-14. Updated: 2026-05-10  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-1999-0962 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.2 · Published 1997-05-14

A security vulnerability exists in the password management utility of the HP-UX operating system. This flaw allows a person who already has basic access to the system to gain full administrative (root) control. Such an exploit could lead to a total compromise of the server, including unauthorized access to all data and the ability to disrupt operations.

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

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-1999-0962 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-1999-0962 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-1999-0962?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.2, published 14 May 1997.

**Which products and versions are affected?** HP HP-UX.

**Is there a fix for CVE-1999-0962?** 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-1999-0962 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in an operating system.

**Am I affected by CVE-1999-0962?** Check whether you run Hp-Ux. 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 buffer overflow vulnerability exists within the 'passwd' executable in HP-UX. The flaw is triggered by providing an overly long or malformed string to a specific command-line option, which fails to perform adequate bounds checking. Because the 'passwd' utility typically runs with elevated (SetUID root) privileges to modify system authentication files, a successful exploit allows a local, unprivileged attacker to execute arbitrary code with root authority. This is a classic local privilege escalation (LPE) vulnerability. HP released advisory HPSBUX9701-045 to address this issue.

## Affected products

- HP HP-UX

## Timeline

- 1997-05-14: advisory: NVD Published Date
- 1997-01-01: advisory: HP Advisory HPSBUX9701-045 issued (approximate date based on ID)

## References

- [http://www.osvdb.org/6415](http://www.osvdb.org/6415)
- [http://www1.itrc.hp.com/service/cki/docDisplay.do?docId=HPSBUX9701-045](http://www1.itrc.hp.com/service/cki/docDisplay.do?docId=HPSBUX9701-045)

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