CVE-2010-4569 in Bugzilla
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Bugzilla 3.7.1, 3.7.2, 3.7.3, and 4.0rc1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the real name field of a user account, related to the AutoComplete widget in YUI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/13/2021
The vulnerability CVE-2010-4569 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Bugzilla versions 3.7.1 through 3.7.3 and 4.0rc1. This security weakness resides in the application's handling of user input within the real name field of user accounts, specifically when utilizing the AutoComplete widget component built on the YUI JavaScript library. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers, potentially compromising the integrity of the Bugzilla application and its user data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the AutoComplete widget functionality. When users enter data into the real name field, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. The YUI AutoComplete widget, designed to provide user-friendly suggestions during data entry, processes this unsanitized input without adequate security measures, creating an environment where malicious payloads can be stored and subsequently executed. This weakness directly maps to CWE-79, which categorizes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, commonly known as cross-site scripting.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption, as it can lead to complete session hijacking, privilege escalation, and unauthorized access to sensitive bug tracking information. An attacker could craft malicious entries in the real name field that would execute when other users view the affected user profiles, potentially stealing cookies, modifying bug reports, or redirecting users to malicious domains. The vulnerability affects all users who interact with the AutoComplete functionality, making it particularly dangerous in collaborative environments where multiple developers and administrators access the same Bugzilla instance. This flaw undermines the trust model of the application, as legitimate users may unknowingly execute malicious code when browsing user profiles or interacting with the autocomplete feature.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The fix requires sanitizing all user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages, particularly within the AutoComplete widget's processing pipeline. Organizations should implement proper HTML escaping techniques and utilize Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized script execution. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices when integrating third-party JavaScript libraries like YUI, emphasizing the need for thorough security reviews of all components. Additionally, regular security updates and patch management procedures should be enforced to prevent similar issues in future releases, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1211 for exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications and maintaining defensive measures against persistent threats.