CVE-2005-3138 in Bugzilla
Summary
by MITRE
Bugzilla 2.18rc1 through 2.18.3, 2.19 through 2.20rc2, and 2.21 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information such as the list of installed products via the config.cgi file, which is accessible even when the requirelogin parameter is set.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/29/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-3138 represents a critical information disclosure flaw in Bugzilla web-based issue tracking systems. This vulnerability affects multiple versions of Bugzilla including 2.18rc1 through 2.18.3, 2.19 through 2.20rc2, and 2.21, making it a widespread concern for organizations relying on these specific versions for their software development and bug management processes. The flaw specifically resides in the configuration handling mechanism of the application, where sensitive administrative information becomes accessible through an improperly protected interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls within the config.cgi script, which serves as a configuration interface for Bugzilla administrators. When the requirelogin parameter is configured to enforce authentication, the system fails to properly restrict access to the product listing functionality. This creates a scenario where unauthenticated remote attackers can bypass authentication mechanisms and retrieve detailed information about the Bugzilla installation, including the complete list of products configured within the system. The vulnerability essentially allows attackers to perform reconnaissance activities without requiring valid credentials, which directly violates fundamental security principles of access control and information hiding.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with crucial intelligence for subsequent exploitation attempts. An attacker who discovers the installed products can gain insights into the software development environment, project structures, and potentially identify specific applications or systems that may be targeted in further attacks. This information can be leveraged for privilege escalation attempts, targeted phishing campaigns, or to craft more sophisticated attacks against specific product areas within the Bugzilla installation. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects versions that were widely deployed in enterprise environments, potentially exposing numerous organizations to reconnaissance activities without their knowledge.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200 (Information Disclosure) and represents a classic example of inadequate access control mechanisms. The flaw demonstrates the importance of implementing proper authentication checks at all levels of application functionality, particularly for administrative interfaces. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1087.001 (Account Discovery) and T1592 (Asset Discovery) techniques, as it enables adversaries to gather information about system assets and administrative configurations without requiring elevated privileges. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation measures including upgrading to patched versions of Bugzilla, implementing proper access controls, and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to administrative interfaces.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability requires immediate action from system administrators to upgrade to patched versions of Bugzilla that address the access control flaw in config.cgi. Additionally, organizations should review their existing access control policies and ensure that administrative interfaces are properly protected regardless of configuration settings. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to sensitive administrative interfaces to authorized personnel only, while also ensuring that proper logging and monitoring is in place to detect unauthorized access attempts to configuration interfaces. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing comprehensive security controls around administrative interfaces.