CVE-2011-2380 in Bugzilla
Summary
by MITRE
Bugzilla 2.23.3 through 2.22.7, 3.0.x through 3.3.x, 3.4.x before 3.4.12, 3.5.x, 3.6.x before 3.6.6, 3.7.x, 4.0.x before 4.0.2, and 4.1.x before 4.1.3 allows remote attackers to determine the existence of private group names via a crafted parameter during (1) bug creation or (2) bug editing.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/17/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2011-2380 represents a significant information disclosure flaw within the Bugzilla bug tracking system that affects multiple version ranges spanning from 2.22.7 through 4.1.2. This weakness enables remote attackers to perform reconnaissance by determining whether specific private group names exist within the system, effectively leaking information about the organization's internal access control structures and user group configurations. The vulnerability specifically manifests during two critical operational phases: when creating new bug reports and when editing existing bug reports, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited at multiple points in the system's workflow. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and access control checks that fail to properly verify whether the requesting user has authorization to access or reference specific private groups, thereby allowing unauthorized enumeration of sensitive group information.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability leverages crafted parameter manipulation within the Bugzilla application's web interface, where attackers can submit specially constructed requests that trigger the system to reveal information about private group existence without proper authorization. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-200 category of "Information Exposure" and specifically aligns with CWE-352 which addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities, though the primary concern here is information leakage rather than direct privilege escalation. The attack vector operates through the web application's parameter handling mechanisms, where the system does not adequately sanitize or validate user-supplied group name parameters during bug creation and editing operations. This allows attackers to systematically test various group names and observe different responses from the application, effectively creating a fingerprinting mechanism that reveals which private groups are configured within the system.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability exposes critical organizational information that could significantly aid attackers in planning more sophisticated attacks against the Bugzilla system and the broader organization. The enumeration of private group names provides attackers with insights into the organization's access control policies, user segmentation strategies, and potentially sensitive information about internal team structures and project configurations. This information disclosure could enable attackers to target specific groups with more precise social engineering attacks or to identify potential privilege escalation paths within the system. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects multiple major version lines of Bugzilla, indicating a widespread issue that would have impacted numerous organizations using different versions of the software. The attack requires minimal technical expertise and can be automated, making it particularly dangerous as it can be used for reconnaissance purposes without requiring significant resources or advanced knowledge.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve applying the official security patches released by the Bugzilla project, specifically upgrading to versions that contain the necessary fixes for the group name enumeration issue. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all instances of Bugzilla are updated promptly, as this vulnerability affects multiple version ranges and could be present in various organizational deployments. Additionally, administrators should review and strengthen their access control policies, implement proper input validation for all user-supplied parameters, and consider implementing additional monitoring for suspicious parameter usage patterns. The remediation process should include thorough testing of the patched versions to ensure that the fix does not introduce any regressions in system functionality while maintaining the intended security controls. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level controls or web application firewalls to provide additional layers of protection against parameter manipulation attacks, though the primary fix must be the official software update to address the root cause of the vulnerability.