CVE-2005-0625 in reportbug
Summary
by MITRE
reportbug 3.2 includes settings from .reportbugrc in bug reports which exposes sensitive information such as smtpuser and smtppasswd.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/01/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0625 affects the reportbug utility version 3.2 which is commonly used for reporting bugs in Debian-based Linux distributions. This flaw represents a critical information disclosure vulnerability that arises from improper handling of configuration file contents within the bug reporting process. The reportbug tool is designed to facilitate communication between users and software maintainers by automatically generating detailed bug reports, but it fails to properly sanitize the information contained in user configuration files before including them in the final report.
The technical flaw stems from the inclusion of settings from the .reportbugrc configuration file directly into bug reports without any filtering or sanitization process. This configuration file typically contains various user preferences and system settings that may include authentication credentials such as smtpuser and smtppasswd parameters. These credentials are essential for email communication when submitting bug reports through the tool, but their inclusion in the public bug report creates a significant security risk. The vulnerability manifests when users configure their reportbug tool with sensitive information in the configuration file, and subsequently generate bug reports that inadvertently expose this data to anyone who can access the bug report.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential exposure, as it can lead to unauthorized access to email accounts and potential compromise of the entire bug reporting infrastructure. Attackers who gain access to bug reports generated by affected systems can extract authentication credentials and use them to send malicious emails, impersonate legitimate users, or gain unauthorized access to email systems. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely heavily on automated bug reporting processes and may be exploited in scenarios where bug reports are publicly accessible or shared across multiple parties. The exposure of smtpuser and smtppasswd values creates a direct pathway for attackers to leverage these credentials in further attacks, potentially compromising email communications and system integrity.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses improper information exposure, and demonstrates a classic case of insufficient input validation and output sanitization. From an attack perspective, this issue maps to the credential access and privilege escalation categories within the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically targeting the 'Credentials from Password Stores' and 'Taint Data' techniques. Organizations using reportbug versions prior to 3.2 should immediately implement mitigations including updating to patched versions, manually reviewing and removing sensitive information from configuration files, and implementing proper access controls on bug reporting systems. The recommended approach involves ensuring that configuration files are properly sanitized before any content is included in public bug reports, with particular attention to fields containing authentication credentials, network parameters, and other sensitive system information that should never be exposed in public documentation or communication channels.