CGI.pm vulnerable to Cross-site Scripting

From: obscure (dontreply_at_eyeonsecurity.org)
Date: 07/21/03

  • Next message: Martin Kluge: "Cisco IOS exploit (44020)"
    To: bugtraq@securityfocus.com
    Date: 21 Jul 2003 00:06:47 +0200
    
    

    Advisory Title: CGI.pm vulnerable to Cross-site Scripting.
    Release Date: July 19 2003

    Application: CGI.pm - which is by default included in many common Perl
    distributions.

    Platform: Most platforms. Tested on Apache and IIS.

    Version: CGI.pm

    Severity: Effects scripts which make use of start_form()

    Author:
    Obscure^
    [ obscure@eyeonsecurity.org ]

    Vendor Status:
    first informed on 30th April 2003
    Although the author told EoS that he will be releasing a fix within a
    week from his last correspondence (May15), no fix is out yet on his
    website.

    Web:

    http://stein.cshl.org/WWW/software/CGI/
    http://eyeonsecurity.org/advisories/

    Background.

    (extracted from
    http://stein.cshl.org/WWW/software/CGI/)

    This perl 5 library uses objects to create Web fill-out forms on the fly
    and to parse their contents. It provides a simple interface for parsing
    and interpreting query strings passed to CGI scripts. However, it also
    offers a rich set of functions for creating fill-out forms. Instead of
    remembering the syntax for HTML form elements, you just make a series of
    perl function calls. An important fringe benefit of this is that the
    value of the previous query is used to initialize the form, so that the
    state of the form is preserved from invocation to invocation. .

    Problem

    CGI.pm has the ability to create forms by making use of the start_form()
    function. The developer/perl scripter can also makes use of
    start_multipart_form() which relies on start_form() and is therefore
    vulnerable to the same issue. When the action for the form is not
    specified, it is given the value of $self->url(-absolute=>1,-path=>1) -
    which means that when the url is something like the following :

    http://host/script.pl?">some%20text<!--%20

    .. the form becomes <form action="http://host/script.pl">some text<!-- "
    >

    In such case, it is possible to exploit this issue to launch a Cross
    Site Scripting attack.

    Exploit Examples.

    --
    #!/usr/bin/perl
    # example of exploitable script
    #
    use CGI;
    $q = new CGI;
    print $q->header;
    print $q->start_html('CGI.pm XSS');
    print $q->start_form();
    print $q->end_form();
    print $q->end_html;
    --
    Fix.
    I fixed my CGI.pm by adding the following code at line 1537
    $action =~ s/\"/\%22/g; 
    Disclaimer.
    The information within this document may change without notice. Use of
    this information constitutes acceptance for use in an AS IS
    condition. There are NO warranties with regard to this information.
    In no event shall the author be liable for any consequences whatsoever
    arising out of or in connection with the use or spread of this
    information. Any use of this information lays within the user's
    responsibility.
    Feedback.
    Please send suggestions, updates, and comments to:
    Eye on Security
    mail : obscure@eyeonsecurity.org
    web : http://www.eyeonsecurity.org
    

  • Next message: Martin Kluge: "Cisco IOS exploit (44020)"

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