Vulnerabilities > CVE-2017-17531 - Injection vulnerability in GNU Global 4.8.6

047910
CVSS 8.8 - HIGH
Attack vector
NETWORK
Attack complexity
LOW
Privileges required
NONE
Confidentiality impact
HIGH
Integrity impact
HIGH
Availability impact
HIGH
network
low complexity
gnu
CWE-74
nessus

Summary

gozilla.c in GNU GLOBAL 4.8.6 does not validate strings before launching the program specified by the BROWSER environment variable, which might allow remote attackers to conduct argument-injection attacks via a crafted URL.

Vulnerable Configurations

Part Description Count
Application
Gnu
1

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

  • Buffer Overflow via Environment Variables
    This attack pattern involves causing a buffer overflow through manipulation of environment variables. Once the attacker finds that they can modify an environment variable, they may try to overflow associated buffers. This attack leverages implicit trust often placed in environment variables.
  • Server Side Include (SSI) Injection
    An attacker can use Server Side Include (SSI) Injection to send code to a web application that then gets executed by the web server. Doing so enables the attacker to achieve similar results to Cross Site Scripting, viz., arbitrary code execution and information disclosure, albeit on a more limited scale, since the SSI directives are nowhere near as powerful as a full-fledged scripting language. Nonetheless, the attacker can conveniently gain access to sensitive files, such as password files, and execute shell commands.
  • Cross Site Scripting through Log Files
    An attacker may leverage a system weakness where logs are susceptible to log injection to insert scripts into the system's logs. If these logs are later viewed by an administrator through a thin administrative interface and the log data is not properly HTML encoded before being written to the page, the attackers' scripts stored in the log will be executed in the administrative interface with potentially serious consequences. This attack pattern is really a combination of two other attack patterns: log injection and stored cross site scripting.
  • Command Line Execution through SQL Injection
    An attacker uses standard SQL injection methods to inject data into the command line for execution. This could be done directly through misuse of directives such as MSSQL_xp_cmdshell or indirectly through injection of data into the database that would be interpreted as shell commands. Sometime later, an unscrupulous backend application (or could be part of the functionality of the same application) fetches the injected data stored in the database and uses this data as command line arguments without performing proper validation. The malicious data escapes that data plane by spawning new commands to be executed on the host.
  • Subverting Environment Variable Values
    The attacker directly or indirectly modifies environment variables used by or controlling the target software. The attacker's goal is to cause the target software to deviate from its expected operation in a manner that benefits the attacker.

Nessus

  • NASL familyFreeBSD Local Security Checks
    NASL idFREEBSD_PKG_48CCA164E26911E7BE516599C735AFC8.NASL
    descriptionMITRE reports : gozilla.c in GNU GLOBAL 4.8.6 does not validate strings before launching the program specified by the BROWSER environment variable, which might allow remote attackers to conduct argument-injection attacks via a crafted URL.
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id105337
    published2017-12-18
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2017-2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/105337
    titleFreeBSD : global -- gozilla vulnerability (48cca164-e269-11e7-be51-6599c735afc8)
    code
    #
    # (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    #
    # The descriptive text and package checks in this plugin were  
    # extracted from the FreeBSD VuXML database :
    #
    # Copyright 2003-2019 Jacques Vidrine and contributors
    #
    # Redistribution and use in source (VuXML) and 'compiled' forms (SGML,
    # HTML, PDF, PostScript, RTF and so forth) with or without modification,
    # are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
    # 1. Redistributions of source code (VuXML) must retain the above
    #    copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
    #    disclaimer as the first lines of this file unmodified.
    # 2. Redistributions in compiled form (transformed to other DTDs,
    #    published online in any format, converted to PDF, PostScript,
    #    RTF and other formats) must reproduce the above copyright
    #    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer
    #    in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
    #    distribution.
    # 
    # THIS DOCUMENTATION IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
    # AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
    # THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
    # PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR OR CONTRIBUTORS
    # BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY,
    # OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT
    # OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR
    # BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY,
    # WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE
    # OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS DOCUMENTATION,
    # EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
    #
    
    include("compat.inc");
    
    if (description)
    {
      script_id(105337);
      script_version("3.5");
      script_cvs_date("Date: 2019/10/11 10:17:50");
    
      script_cve_id("CVE-2017-17531");
    
      script_name(english:"FreeBSD : global -- gozilla vulnerability (48cca164-e269-11e7-be51-6599c735afc8)");
      script_summary(english:"Checks for updated package in pkg_info output");
    
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"synopsis", 
        value:"The remote FreeBSD host is missing a security-related update."
      );
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"description", 
        value:
    "MITRE reports :
    
    gozilla.c in GNU GLOBAL 4.8.6 does not validate strings before
    launching the program specified by the BROWSER environment variable,
    which might allow remote attackers to conduct argument-injection
    attacks via a crafted URL."
      );
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"see_also",
        value:"http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/info-global/2017-12/msg00001.html"
      );
      # https://vuxml.freebsd.org/freebsd/48cca164-e269-11e7-be51-6599c735afc8.html
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"see_also",
        value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?a3cb85d3"
      );
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:"Update the affected package.");
      script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P");
      script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H");
    
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:freebsd:freebsd:global");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:freebsd:freebsd");
    
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2017/12/11");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2017/12/16");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2017/12/18");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
      script_end_attributes();
    
      script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
      script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2017-2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");
      script_family(english:"FreeBSD Local Security Checks");
    
      script_dependencies("ssh_get_info.nasl");
      script_require_keys("Host/local_checks_enabled", "Host/FreeBSD/release", "Host/FreeBSD/pkg_info");
    
      exit(0);
    }
    
    
    include("audit.inc");
    include("freebsd_package.inc");
    
    
    if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
    if (!get_kb_item("Host/FreeBSD/release")) audit(AUDIT_OS_NOT, "FreeBSD");
    if (!get_kb_item("Host/FreeBSD/pkg_info")) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);
    
    
    flag = 0;
    
    if (pkg_test(save_report:TRUE, pkg:"global>=4.8.6<6.6.1")) flag++;
    
    if (flag)
    {
      if (report_verbosity > 0) security_warning(port:0, extra:pkg_report_get());
      else security_warning(0);
      exit(0);
    }
    else audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, "affected");
    
  • NASL familyFedora Local Security Checks
    NASL idFEDORA_2017-FD9462D9EF.NASL
    descriptionSecurity fix for [PUT CVEs HERE] Note that Tenable Network Security has extracted the preceding description block directly from the Fedora update system website. Tenable has attempted to automatically clean and format it as much as possible without introducing additional issues.
    last seen2020-06-05
    modified2018-01-15
    plugin id106017
    published2018-01-15
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2018-2020 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/106017
    titleFedora 27 : global (2017-fd9462d9ef)
    code
    #%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80502
    #
    # (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    #
    # The descriptive text and package checks in this plugin were  
    # extracted from Fedora Security Advisory FEDORA-2017-fd9462d9ef.
    #
    
    include("compat.inc");
    
    if (description)
    {
      script_id(106017);
      script_version("1.4");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2020/06/04");
    
      script_cve_id("CVE-2017-17531");
      script_xref(name:"FEDORA", value:"2017-fd9462d9ef");
    
      script_name(english:"Fedora 27 : global (2017-fd9462d9ef)");
      script_summary(english:"Checks rpm output for the updated package.");
    
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"synopsis", 
        value:"The remote Fedora host is missing a security update."
      );
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"description", 
        value:
    "Security fix for [PUT CVEs HERE]
    
    Note that Tenable Network Security has extracted the preceding
    description block directly from the Fedora update system website.
    Tenable has attempted to automatically clean and format it as much as
    possible without introducing additional issues."
      );
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"see_also",
        value:"https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2017-fd9462d9ef"
      );
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"solution", 
        value:"Update the affected global package."
      );
      script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P");
      script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H");
    
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:fedoraproject:fedora:global");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:fedoraproject:fedora:27");
    
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2017/12/14");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2017/12/29");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2018/01/15");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
      script_end_attributes();
    
      script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
      script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2018-2020 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");
      script_family(english:"Fedora Local Security Checks");
    
      script_dependencies("ssh_get_info.nasl");
      script_require_keys("Host/local_checks_enabled", "Host/RedHat/release", "Host/RedHat/rpm-list");
    
      exit(0);
    }
    
    
    include("audit.inc");
    include("global_settings.inc");
    include("rpm.inc");
    
    
    if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
    release = get_kb_item("Host/RedHat/release");
    if (isnull(release) || "Fedora" >!< release) audit(AUDIT_OS_NOT, "Fedora");
    os_ver = pregmatch(pattern: "Fedora.*release ([0-9]+)", string:release);
    if (isnull(os_ver)) audit(AUDIT_UNKNOWN_APP_VER, "Fedora");
    os_ver = os_ver[1];
    if (! preg(pattern:"^27([^0-9]|$)", string:os_ver)) audit(AUDIT_OS_NOT, "Fedora 27", "Fedora " + os_ver);
    
    if (!get_kb_item("Host/RedHat/rpm-list")) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);
    
    
    cpu = get_kb_item("Host/cpu");
    if (isnull(cpu)) audit(AUDIT_UNKNOWN_ARCH);
    if ("x86_64" >!< cpu && cpu !~ "^i[3-6]86$") audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_IMPLEMENTED, "Fedora", cpu);
    
    
    flag = 0;
    if (rpm_check(release:"FC27", reference:"global-6.5.7-4.fc27")) flag++;
    
    
    if (flag)
    {
      security_report_v4(
        port       : 0,
        severity   : SECURITY_WARNING,
        extra      : rpm_report_get()
      );
      exit(0);
    }
    else
    {
      tested = pkg_tests_get();
      if (tested) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_NOT_AFFECTED, tested);
      else audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_NOT_INSTALLED, "global");
    }
    
  • NASL familySuSE Local Security Checks
    NASL idOPENSUSE-2017-1420.NASL
    descriptionThis update for global fixes the following issue : - CVE-2017-17531: Argument-injection vulnerability allowed execution of arbitrary code via crafted URLs (boo#1073197)
    last seen2020-06-05
    modified2017-12-28
    plugin id105478
    published2017-12-28
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2017-2020 Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/105478
    titleopenSUSE Security Update : global (openSUSE-2017-1420)
    code
    #%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80502
    #
    # (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    #
    # The descriptive text and package checks in this plugin were
    # extracted from openSUSE Security Update openSUSE-2017-1420.
    #
    # The text description of this plugin is (C) SUSE LLC.
    #
    
    include("compat.inc");
    
    if (description)
    {
      script_id(105478);
      script_version("3.4");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2020/06/04");
    
      script_cve_id("CVE-2017-17531");
    
      script_name(english:"openSUSE Security Update : global (openSUSE-2017-1420)");
      script_summary(english:"Check for the openSUSE-2017-1420 patch");
    
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"synopsis", 
        value:"The remote openSUSE host is missing a security update."
      );
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"description", 
        value:
    "This update for global fixes the following issue :
    
      - CVE-2017-17531: Argument-injection vulnerability allowed
        execution of arbitrary code via crafted URLs
        (boo#1073197)"
      );
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"see_also",
        value:"https://bugzilla.opensuse.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1073197"
      );
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"solution", 
        value:"Update the affected global packages."
      );
      script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P");
      script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H");
    
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:novell:opensuse:global");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:novell:opensuse:global-debuginfo");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:novell:opensuse:global-debugsource");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:novell:opensuse:42.2");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:novell:opensuse:42.3");
    
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2017/12/27");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2017/12/28");
      script_end_attributes();
    
      script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
      script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2017-2020 Tenable Network Security, Inc.");
      script_family(english:"SuSE Local Security Checks");
    
      script_dependencies("ssh_get_info.nasl");
      script_require_keys("Host/local_checks_enabled", "Host/SuSE/release", "Host/SuSE/rpm-list", "Host/cpu");
    
      exit(0);
    }
    
    
    include("audit.inc");
    include("global_settings.inc");
    include("rpm.inc");
    
    if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
    release = get_kb_item("Host/SuSE/release");
    if (isnull(release) || release =~ "^(SLED|SLES)") audit(AUDIT_OS_NOT, "openSUSE");
    if (release !~ "^(SUSE42\.2|SUSE42\.3)$") audit(AUDIT_OS_RELEASE_NOT, "openSUSE", "42.2 / 42.3", release);
    if (!get_kb_item("Host/SuSE/rpm-list")) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);
    
    ourarch = get_kb_item("Host/cpu");
    if (!ourarch) audit(AUDIT_UNKNOWN_ARCH);
    if (ourarch !~ "^(i586|i686|x86_64)$") audit(AUDIT_ARCH_NOT, "i586 / i686 / x86_64", ourarch);
    
    flag = 0;
    
    if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE42.2", reference:"global-6.5.1-3.3.1") ) flag++;
    if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE42.2", reference:"global-debuginfo-6.5.1-3.3.1") ) flag++;
    if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE42.2", reference:"global-debugsource-6.5.1-3.3.1") ) flag++;
    if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE42.3", reference:"global-6.5.1-6.1") ) flag++;
    if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE42.3", reference:"global-debuginfo-6.5.1-6.1") ) flag++;
    if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE42.3", reference:"global-debugsource-6.5.1-6.1") ) flag++;
    
    if (flag)
    {
      if (report_verbosity > 0) security_warning(port:0, extra:rpm_report_get());
      else security_warning(0);
      exit(0);
    }
    else
    {
      tested = pkg_tests_get();
      if (tested) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_NOT_AFFECTED, tested);
      else audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_NOT_INSTALLED, "global / global-debuginfo / global-debugsource");
    }