TWiki: Arbitrary command execution

1. Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

Advisory Reference	GLSA 200411-33 / www-apps/twiki
Release Date	November 24, 2004
Latest Revision	September 08, 2006: 02
Impact	high
Exploitable	remote

Package	Vulnerable versions	Unaffected versions	Architecture(s)
www-apps/twiki	< 20040902	>= 20040902 , < 20000000	All supported architectures

Related bugreports: #71035

Synopsis

A bug in the TWiki search function allows an attacker to execute arbitrary commands with the permissions of the user running TWiki.

2. Impact Information

Background

TWiki is a Web-based groupware tool based around the concept of wiki pages that can be edited by anybody with a Web browser.

Description

The TWiki search function, which uses a shell command executed via the Perl backtick operator, does not properly escape shell metacharacters in the user-provided search string.

Impact

An attacker can insert malicious commands into a search request, allowing the execution of arbitrary commands with the privileges of the user running TWiki (usually the Web server user).

3. Resolution Information

Workaround

There is no known workaround at this time.

Resolution

All TWiki users should upgrade to the latest version:

Code Listing 3.1: Resolution

# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=www-apps/twiki-20040902"

4. References

Updated November 24, 2004

Summary: This is a Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

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