[UNIX] WWWIsis Remote Command Execution and File Retrieval

From: support@securiteam.com
Date: 03/31/02 

From: support@securiteam.com
To: list@securiteam.com
Date: Sun, 31 Mar 2002 18:26:45 +0200 (CEST)

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  WWWIsis Remote Command Execution and File Retrieval
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SUMMARY

 <http://www.bireme.br/isis/I/wwwi.htm> WWWIsis was conceived and
especially implemented to serve as an interface among ISIS database and
servers Web, through CGI (Common Gateway Interface). A security
vulnerability in the product allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary
commands and view files that reside on the remote server.

DETAILS

Vulnerable systems:
WWWIsis version 3.45

In many common setups of WWWIsis, query parameters can be forged to have
WWWIsis execute any (shell) command and display any readable file as
allowed for the user of the CGI process. Vulnerability can be avoided with
careful setup.

Description:
Input parameters from query string are not checked for bad input. In many
common plain-vanilla setups such as the examples in the manual, it is
possible to have the process execute any format as sent by the remote
user. The formatting language has some too powerful functions. There is
also an alternate attack possibility abusing PATH_INFO.

Impact:
Ability to execute any command and get any file as allowed for the CGI
process.

Workaround:
Avoid wwwisis being called directly -- wrap it up in a perl -t script.
Wipe out any suspicious stuff from query parameters, clean up the ENV,
then exec wwwisis with a list of parameters. Read the perlsec manpage.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The information has been provided by <mailto:krip@openisis.org> Klaus
Ripke.

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