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FirebirdApplication · Firebirdsql

CVE-2008-0467

HIGH · 10.0 CVSS v2.0 Published 2008-01-29
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to after 2.1 or later.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Stack-based buffer overflow in Firebird before 2.0.4, and 2.1.x before 2.1.0 RC1, might allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long username.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · moderate confidence

Firebird database server versions before 2.0.4 and 2.1.x before 2.1.0 RC1 contain a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability in the authentication module. The vulnerability is triggered by providing an excessively long username during database connection, allowing remote attackers to overwrite stack memory and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the database service.

MitigationUpgrade Firebird to version 2.0.4 or later, or 2.1.0 RC1 or later. If immediate upgrade is not possible, consider network segmentation to limit exposure to untrusted networks and implement IP-based access controls on the database port (default 3050).

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
FirebirdApplication
Affected:<= 2.0.3<= 2.1

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Complete
Integrity
Complete
Availability
Complete

AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify if Firebird database server is installed
    Check common installation paths: on Linux/Unix look in /opt/firebird, /usr/local/firebird, or check for process 'fbserver' or 'firebird' running. On Windows check services list for 'Firebird Server' or look in Program Files\Firebird. Query the Windows Registry under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Firebird Project\Firebird Server\Instances for the installation path.
    Affected if Firebird server is installed and running on the system
  2. Determine the installed Firebird version
    If Firebird is installed, locate the version: on Linux/Unix check the 'IBVER' file in the installation directory, or run 'fbserver -version' or 'firebird -version'. On Windows check the version property of fbserver.exe in the bin folder, or look at the version info in the service properties.
    Affected if The version number is 2.0.3 or lower, or is 2.1.0 before Release Candidate 1 (such as 2.1.0 beta or 2.1.0 alpha versions)
  3. Verify if remote network connections are enabled
    Check the firebird.conf configuration file (usually in the Firebird installation directory) for 'RemoteServicePort' (default 3050) and 'RemoteBindAddress'. Also check if the Windows Firewall or iptables allows incoming connections on port 3050. Verify that the database is configured to accept TCP/IP connections rather than only local connections.
    Affected if Port 3050 (or the configured Firebird port) is open to the network and accepting remote connections
  4. Confirm authentication is being used
    Check the security2.fdb database or the firebird.conf for the 'AuthServer' and 'AuthClient' settings. The vulnerability exists in the legacy authentication module, so verify the server is using the default authentication mechanism for user logins.
    Affected if The default legacy authentication is in use (not using only pluggable authentication modules introduced in later versions)

You are affected if Firebird server is installed with version 2.0.3 or lower, or version 2.1.0 before RC1, and the service is accessible over the network on the default port.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to a release after 2.1
Interim mitigation

Upgrade Firebird to version 2.0.4 or later, or 2.1.0 RC1 or later. If immediate upgrade is not possible, consider network segmentation to limit exposure to untrusted networks and implement IP-based access controls on the database port (default 3050).

Recommended fix High confidence

Firebird 2.0.4 or later / Firebird 2.1.0 RC1 or later

  1. Identify the currently installed Firebird version (e.g., run 'fbversion' or check the installation directory).
  2. Backup all Firebird databases and configuration files.
  3. Download Firebird 2.0.4 or later (or the 2.1.0 RC1 / later stable release) from the official Firebird website.
  4. Stop the Firebird server service.
  5. Install the new version, overwriting the existing binaries.
  6. Restart the Firebird server service.
  7. Verify the version and test that the server accepts connections with the new build.
Caveat Upgrade may require database backup and checking release notes for compatibility changes.

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Firebird Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation2.0 h
  • Testing8.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
18.0 hours of engineering $3,080
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2008-0467 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data