CVE-2002-0807 in Bugzilla
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in Bugzilla 2.14 before 2.14.2, and 2.16 before 2.16rc2, could allow remote attackers to execute script as other Bugzilla users via the full name (real name) field, which is not properly quoted by editusers.cgi.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/22/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0807 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Bugzilla versions 2.14 prior to 2.14.2 and 2.16 prior to 2.16rc2. This security weakness resides in the editusers.cgi script where the full name or real name field fails to properly sanitize user input through inadequate HTML quoting mechanisms. The flaw enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the application's user interface, creating a persistent threat vector that can compromise user sessions and execute unauthorized actions on behalf of legitimate Bugzilla users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the user management component of Bugzilla. When administrators or users modify their real name information through the editusers.cgi interface, the application does not adequately escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript markup. This omission creates an exploitable condition where attackers can embed malicious script payloads within the real name field, which are then rendered when other users view the affected user profiles or when the data is displayed in user management interfaces.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to hijack user sessions, steal authentication tokens, and perform unauthorized administrative actions within the Bugzilla environment. According to CWE-79, this vulnerability maps directly to Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) weaknesses where the application fails to properly validate or encode output data. The attack surface is particularly concerning in collaborative environments where Bugzilla serves as a central issue tracking system, as compromised user accounts can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive project information, modification of bug reports, and potential escalation to administrative privileges.
The exploitability of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which describes the use of malicious scripts to gain access to user sessions and perform unauthorized actions. Attackers can craft malicious real names containing script tags that execute when viewed by other users, potentially redirecting them to phishing sites or executing scripts that steal cookies and session information. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input sanitization and output encoding in web applications, particularly in systems where user-generated content is displayed without proper security controls. The remediation requires immediate patching of the affected Bugzilla versions and implementation of proper HTML escaping mechanisms throughout the application's user input handling processes.
Organizations utilizing Bugzilla systems should prioritize immediate deployment of patches addressing this vulnerability, as the flaw exists in widely used issue tracking platforms where user trust and data integrity are paramount. The vulnerability highlights the necessity of comprehensive security testing including input validation, output encoding, and session management controls. Security teams should also implement monitoring for suspicious user profile modifications and establish incident response procedures for potential XSS exploitation attempts, ensuring that all user-facing interfaces properly sanitize data before rendering to prevent similar vulnerabilities from compromising system security.