DependencyTrack / DependencyTrack/dependency-track
False positive: CVE-1999-1278 incorrectly attributed to NLog .NET
- Dominant language
- Java
- Stars
- 4.2k
- Forks
- 811
- Avg merge
- 8h 39m
- Merged PRs (30d)
- 237
Description
### Current Behavior
Dependency-Track reports CVE-1999-1278 as affecting NLog (.NET), flagging all versions as vulnerable.
According to the NVD entry, the CVE is defined in a very broad way, effectively marking all versions of "NLog" as vulnerable:
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-1999-1278
However, after further investigation, this appears to be a false positive.
Multiple sources indicate that:
- The vulnerability was fixed in version 1.1b (released December 26, 1998)
- More importantly, the CVE does not refer to the modern NLog .NET library at all
Instead, it refers to a different software called "Nlog", a Linux CGI script used for analyzing Nmap output.
References:
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/1549
- https://vuldb.com/vuln/14287
- https://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=91470326629357&w=2
Conclusion:
This CVE is incorrectly mapped to NLog (.NET), leading to a false positive vulnerability report.
### Steps to Reproduce
1. Create a project in Dependency-Track
2. Upload a BOM containing NLog (.NET) as a dependency
3. Observe that CVE-1999-1278 is reported against NLog
This occurs regardless of the NLog version used.
### Expected Behavior
Dependency-Track should not report CVE-1999-1278 for NLog (.NET) components.
The CVE should either:
- Not be associated with NLog (.NET) at all, since it refers to a different software (a Linux CGI script named "Nlog")
- Or be properly scoped using accurate CPE matching to avoid false positives
This would prevent incorrect vulnerability reporting and improve accuracy of the analysis.
### Dependency-Track Version
4.13.6
### Dependency-Track Distribution
Container Image
### Database Server
PostgreSQL
### Database Server Version
17.7
### Browser
N/A
### Checklist
- [x] I have read and understand the [contributing guidelines](https://github.com/DependencyTrack/dependency-track/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md#filing-issues)
- [x] I have checked the [existing issues](https://github.com/DependencyTrack/dependency-track/issues) for whether this defect was already reported
Contributor guide
Assessment
This issue has not been assessed yet.