phpBB: Remote command execution
1.
Gentoo Linux Security Advisory
Version Information
| Advisory Reference |
GLSA 200411-32 / phpBB |
| Release Date |
November 24, 2004 |
| Latest Revision |
May 22, 2006: 02 |
| Impact |
high |
| Exploitable |
remote |
| Package |
Vulnerable versions |
Unaffected versions |
Architecture(s) |
| www-apps/phpbb |
<
2.0.10 |
>=
2.0.11 |
All supported architectures
|
Related bugreports:
#71681
Synopsis
phpBB contains a vulnerability which allows a remote attacker to execute
arbitrary commands with the rights of the web server user.
2.
Impact Information
Background
phpBB is an Open Source bulletin board package.
Description
phpBB contains a vulnerability in the highlighting code and several
vulnerabilities in the username handling code.
Impact
An attacker can exploit the highlighting vulnerability to access the
PHP exec() function without restriction, allowing them to run arbitrary
commands with the rights of the web server user (for example the apache
user). Furthermore, the username handling vulnerability might be abused
to execute SQL statements on the phpBB database.
3.
Resolution Information
Workaround
There is a one-line patch which will remediate the remote execution
vulnerability.
Locate the following block of code in viewtopic.php:
Code Listing 3.1: Workaround |
//
// Was a highlight request part of the URI?
//
$highlight_match = $highlight = '';
if (isset($HTTP_GET_VARS['highlight']))
{
// Split words and phrases
$words = explode(' ', trim(htmlspecialchars(urldecode($HTTP_GET_VARS['highlight']))));
for($i = 0; $i < sizeof($words); $i++)
{
|
Replace with the following:
Code Listing 3.2: Workaround |
//
// Was a highlight request part of the URI?
//
$highlight_match = $highlight = '';
if (isset($HTTP_GET_VARS['highlight']))
{
// Split words and phrases
$words = explode(' ', trim(htmlspecialchars($HTTP_GET_VARS['highlight'])));
for($i = 0; $i < sizeof($words); $i++)
{
|
Resolution
All phpBB users should upgrade to the latest version to fix all known
vulnerabilities:
Code Listing 3.3: Resolution |
# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=www-apps/phpbb-2.0.11"
|
4.
References
|
