---
id: CVE-1999-1468
title: >-
  rdist in various UNIX systems uses popen to execute sendmail, which allows
  local users to gain root privileges by modifying the IFS (Internal Field
  Separator) variable.
summary: >-
  rdist in various UNIX systems uses popen to execute sendmail, which allows
  local users to gain root privileges by modifying the IFS (Internal Field
  Separator) variable.
severity: medium
cvss: 6.2
cvssVector: 'AV:L/AC:H/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C'
published: '1991-10-22'
updated: '2026-06-16'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-1999-1468'
references:
  - url: 'http://www.alw.nih.gov/Security/8lgm/8lgm-Advisory-01.html'
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: 'http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-91.20.rdist.vulnerability'
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: 'http://www.iss.net/security_center/static/7160.php'
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: 'http://www.osvdb.org/8106'
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: 'http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/31'
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: 'http://www.alw.nih.gov/Security/8lgm/8lgm-Advisory-01.html'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-91.20.rdist.vulnerability'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'http://www.iss.net/security_center/static/7160.php'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'http://www.osvdb.org/8106'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/31'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
tags:
  - nvd
epss: 0.00338
epssPercentile: 0.24546
ingestedAt: '2026-06-19T03:39:00.691Z'
---

## Overview

rdist in various UNIX systems uses popen to execute sendmail, which allows local users to gain root privileges by modifying the IFS (Internal Field Separator) variable.

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.