CVE-2003-1046 in Bugzilla
Summary
by MITRE
describecomponents.cgi in Bugzilla 2.17.3 and 2.17.4 does not properly verify group membership when bug entry groups are used, which allows remote attackers to list component descriptions for otherwise restricted products.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/22/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2003-1046 affects Bugzilla versions 2.17.3 and 2.17.4 where the describecomponents.cgi script fails to properly validate group membership when handling bug entry groups. This represents a critical access control flaw that undermines the security model of the bug tracking system. The issue stems from insufficient authorization checks within the component description listing functionality, allowing unauthorized users to bypass group restrictions and access sensitive product information. The vulnerability specifically targets the group-based access control mechanism that Bugzilla implements to restrict visibility of certain products and components to authorized users only.
This flaw manifests as a privilege escalation vulnerability that operates at the application level, classified under CWE-284 Access Control Issues within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. The technical implementation fails to properly enforce the group membership checks that should prevent users from viewing component descriptions for products they are not authorized to access. Attackers can exploit this by crafting specific requests to the describecomponents.cgi script that bypass the normal group verification processes. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows information disclosure rather than direct code execution, but the exposure of restricted product information can provide attackers with valuable intelligence for further attacks. The flaw operates through the web interface and requires no special privileges to exploit, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where sensitive project information is stored.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can enable attackers to gather intelligence about organizational projects and their component structures. This information can be leveraged to plan more sophisticated attacks targeting specific components or products. The vulnerability affects the integrity of Bugzilla's security model by allowing unauthorized access to restricted product data, potentially exposing sensitive business information. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability operates as a data exposure issue rather than a direct system compromise, but the information gathered can be instrumental in subsequent attack phases. The flaw impacts organizations that rely on Bugzilla for managing sensitive software development projects where access control is critical to maintaining competitive advantages and protecting intellectual property.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to Bugzilla versions that address this vulnerability, typically Bugzilla 2.17.5 and later releases. The fix involves proper implementation of group membership verification within the describecomponents.cgi script, ensuring that all access requests are validated against user permissions before returning component descriptions. System administrators should also review and tighten access controls for Bugzilla installations, particularly focusing on group-based permissions and component visibility settings. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and access control enforcement in web applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1213 Data from Information Repositories which covers access to repositories containing sensitive information. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring to detect unusual access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar access control flaws in other applications within the organization's infrastructure.