Vulnerabilities > CVE-2003-1240 - Code Injection vulnerability in Cutephp Cutenews 0.88

047910
CVSS 7.5 - HIGH
Attack vector
NETWORK
Attack complexity
LOW
Privileges required
NONE
Confidentiality impact
PARTIAL
Integrity impact
PARTIAL
Availability impact
PARTIAL
network
low complexity
cutephp
CWE-94
nessus
exploit available

Summary

PHP remote file inclusion vulnerability in CuteNews 0.88 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code via a URL in the cutepath parameter in (1) shownews.php, (2) search.php, or (3) comments.php.

Vulnerable Configurations

Part Description Count
Application
Cutephp
1

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

  • Leverage Executable Code in Non-Executable Files
    An attack of this type exploits a system's trust in configuration and resource files, when the executable loads the resource (such as an image file or configuration file) the attacker has modified the file to either execute malicious code directly or manipulate the target process (e.g. application server) to execute based on the malicious configuration parameters. Since systems are increasingly interrelated mashing up resources from local and remote sources the possibility of this attack occurring is high. The attack can be directed at a client system, such as causing buffer overrun through loading seemingly benign image files, as in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS04-028 where specially crafted JPEG files could cause a buffer overrun once loaded into the browser. Another example targets clients reading pdf files. In this case the attacker simply appends javascript to the end of a legitimate url for a pdf (http://www.gnucitizen.org/blog/danger-danger-danger/) http://path/to/pdf/file.pdf#whatever_name_you_want=javascript:your_code_here The client assumes that they are reading a pdf, but the attacker has modified the resource and loaded executable javascript into the client's browser process. The attack can also target server processes. The attacker edits the resource or configuration file, for example a web.xml file used to configure security permissions for a J2EE app server, adding role name "public" grants all users with the public role the ability to use the administration functionality. The server trusts its configuration file to be correct, but when they are manipulated, the attacker gains full control.
  • Manipulating User-Controlled Variables
    This attack targets user controlled variables (DEBUG=1, PHP Globals, and So Forth). An attacker can override environment variables leveraging user-supplied, untrusted query variables directly used on the application server without any data sanitization. In extreme cases, the attacker can change variables controlling the business logic of the application. For instance, in languages like PHP, a number of poorly set default configurations may allow the user to override variables.

Exploit-Db

  • descriptionCuteNews 0.88 search.php Remote File Include Vulnerability. CVE-2003-1240. Webapps exploit for php platform
    idEDB-ID:22284
    last seen2016-02-02
    modified2003-02-25
    published2003-02-25
    reporterOver_G
    sourcehttps://www.exploit-db.com/download/22284/
    titleCuteNews 0.88 - search.php Remote File Include Vulnerability
  • descriptionCuteNews 0.88 shownews.php Remote File Include Vulnerability. CVE-2003-1240. Webapps exploit for php platform
    idEDB-ID:22283
    last seen2016-02-02
    modified2003-02-25
    published2003-02-25
    reporterOver_G
    sourcehttps://www.exploit-db.com/download/22283/
    titleCuteNews 0.88 shownews.php Remote File Include Vulnerability
  • descriptionCuteNews 0.88 comments.php Remote File Include Vulnerability. CVE-2003-1240. Webapps exploit for php platform
    idEDB-ID:22285
    last seen2016-02-02
    modified2003-02-25
    published2003-02-25
    reporterOver_G
    sourcehttps://www.exploit-db.com/download/22285/
    titleCuteNews 0.88 comments.php Remote File Include Vulnerability

Nessus

NASL familyCGI abuses
NASL idCUTENEWS_CODE_INJECTION.NASL
descriptionThe version of CuteNews installed on the remote host fails to sanitize input to the
last seen2020-06-01
modified2020-06-02
plugin id11276
published2003-02-28
reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2003-2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/11276
titleCuteNews Multiple Script cutepath Parameter Arbitrary Command Execution
code
#
# (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
#

# Ref:
# From: "Over_G" <[email protected]>
# To: [email protected], [email protected],
#        [email protected]
# Subject: PHP code injection in CuteNews
# Message-Id: <[email protected]>


include("compat.inc");

if(description)
{
  script_id(11276);
  script_cve_id("CVE-2003-1240");
  script_bugtraq_id(6935);

  script_version ("1.26");

  script_name(english:"CuteNews Multiple Script cutepath Parameter Arbitrary Command Execution");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The remote web server contains a PHP application that is subject to
multiple remote file include attacks." );
  script_summary(english:"Checks for the presence of search.php");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The version of CuteNews installed on the remote host fails to sanitize
input to the 'cutepath' parameter before using it in various scripts
to include PHP code.  An attacker may use this flaw to inject
arbitrary code in the remote host and gain a shell with the privileges
of the web server." );
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://seclists.org/bugtraq/2003/Feb/322" );
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"Upgrade to CuteNews 0.89 or newer." );
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:H/RL:W/RC:ND");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:H/RL:W/RC:X");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2003-1240");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No exploit is required");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"true");
  script_cwe_id(94);
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value: "2003/02/28");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value: "2003/02/25");
  script_cvs_date("Date: 2019/06/03 10:01:42");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"remote");
  script_end_attributes();
 
  script_category(ACT_ATTACK);
  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2003-2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");
  script_family(english:"CGI abuses");
  
  script_dependencies("cutenews_detect.nasl");
  script_exclude_keys("Settings/disable_cgi_scanning");
  script_require_ports("Services/www", 80);
  script_require_keys("www/PHP");
  exit(0);
}

#
# The script code starts here
#

include("global_settings.inc");
include("misc_func.inc");
include("http.inc");

port = get_http_port(default:80);
if(!can_host_php(port:port)) exit(0);



# Test an install.
install = get_kb_item(string("www/", port, "/cutenews"));
if (isnull(install)) exit(0);
matches = eregmatch(string:install, pattern:"^(.+) under (/.*)$");
if (!isnull(matches)) {
 loc = matches[2];

 w = http_send_recv3(method: "GET", item:string(loc, "/search.php?cutepath=http://example.com"), port:port);			
 if (isnull(w))exit(0);
 r = w[2];
 if(egrep(pattern:".*http://example.com/config\.php", string:r))
 {
 	security_hole(port);
	exit(0);
 }
}