CVE-2014-8630 in Bugzilla
Summary
by MITRE
Bugzilla before 4.0.16, 4.1.x and 4.2.x before 4.2.12, 4.3.x and 4.4.x before 4.4.7, and 5.x before 5.0rc1 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands by leveraging the editcomponents privilege and triggering crafted input to a two-argument Perl open call, as demonstrated by shell metacharacters in a product name.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2022
This vulnerability exists in Bugzilla versions prior to specific patch releases, representing a critical command injection flaw that allows authenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary system commands. The vulnerability specifically affects versions before 4.0.16, 4.1.x before 4.2.12, 4.3.x before 4.4.7, and 5.x before 5.0rc1, making it a widespread issue across multiple release branches of the popular bug tracking system. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation within the component editing functionality, where attackers with editcomponents privileges can manipulate product names to inject shell metacharacters that get processed through a two-argument Perl open call.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits a classic command injection vector through the Perl programming language's open function, which when called with two arguments and untrusted input, can be manipulated to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system. When an attacker crafts a product name containing shell metacharacters such as semicolons, pipes, or backticks, these characters are interpreted by the system shell when the open call processes the input, effectively allowing code execution with the privileges of the Bugzilla process. This represents a CWE-78 vulnerability, which is categorized under the Common Weakness Enumeration as "Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command," specifically manifesting in the context of Perl's open function.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it transforms a legitimate administrative function into a potential weapon for system compromise. An authenticated user with editcomponents privileges can leverage this flaw to execute commands on the server hosting Bugzilla, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or lateral movement within the network. Attackers could use this vulnerability to escalate privileges, install backdoors, or establish persistent access to the system. The attack requires only authentication to the Bugzilla instance and knowledge of the component editing functionality, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users have administrative privileges. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1068 for Exploitation for Privilege Escalation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate patching to the affected versions, specifically upgrading to Bugzilla 4.0.16, 4.2.12, 4.4.7, or 5.0rc1 respectively, which contain the necessary input sanitization fixes. Organizations should also implement strict input validation for all user-supplied data, particularly in administrative functions, and consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious command injection patterns. Additionally, privilege separation should be enforced so that users with editcomponents privileges cannot execute system commands, and regular security audits should verify that all input handling functions properly sanitize user data before processing. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and proper sanitization in preventing command injection attacks, which remains a fundamental security principle in secure software development practices.