CVE-2002-1198 in Bugzilla
Summary
by MITRE
Bugzilla 2.16.x before 2.16.1 does not properly filter apostrophes from an email address during account creation, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL via a SQL injection attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2002-1198 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within Bugzilla version 2.16.x prior to 2.16.1. This issue specifically manifests during the account creation process when the system fails to properly sanitize apostrophe characters from email addresses submitted by users. The absence of adequate input validation creates an exploitable condition that enables remote attackers to manipulate the underlying database queries through maliciously crafted email addresses containing apostrophes. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and security of the Bugzilla issue tracking system by allowing unauthorized individuals to inject arbitrary SQL commands into the database layer.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input sanitization practices within the account creation module. When users submit email addresses containing apostrophes during registration, the application fails to escape or filter these special characters before incorporating them into SQL queries. This oversight creates a classic SQL injection vector where attackers can manipulate the query execution flow by injecting additional SQL syntax through the apostrophe character. The vulnerability operates at the application level and demonstrates a fundamental flaw in data validation and query construction practices. According to CWE-89, this represents a classic SQL injection vulnerability where user-supplied data is directly concatenated into SQL commands without proper sanitization or parameterization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation to potentially compromise the entire database infrastructure. Attackers could leverage this weakness to execute unauthorized database operations including but not limited to data extraction, modification, or deletion of sensitive information. The vulnerability affects all account creation activities within the Bugzilla system, making it particularly dangerous as it could be exploited by anyone attempting to register new user accounts. This creates a persistent threat vector that remains active as long as the vulnerable version remains in use. The attack requires minimal skill level and can be executed remotely, making it particularly attractive to malicious actors seeking unauthorized access to issue tracking systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability center on implementing proper input validation and sanitization procedures. The most effective solution involves updating to Bugzilla version 2.16.1 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the apostrophe filtering issue. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation that properly escapes special characters including apostrophes, quotes, and other SQL metacharacters. Database access controls should be reviewed and strengthened to limit the privileges of database accounts used by the Bugzilla application. Additionally, implementing prepared statements or parameterized queries would eliminate the risk of SQL injection by separating SQL logic from user data. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 which describes exploitation of vulnerabilities in applications to gain unauthorized access to data and system resources. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and database activity monitoring to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other applications within the organization's infrastructure.