Nebula level 09 – Exploiting preg_replace in PHP

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preg_replace is a PHP function that uses PCRE, deprecated in PHP version 5.5.0 ( yo should use preg_replace_callback instead), its main goal is, as its name suggests, string replacement, let´s see an example :

<?php
$string = ' Ugly level';

$pattern[0] = '/Ugly/';
$pattern[1] = '/level/';

$replacement[0] = 'Tricky';
$replacement[1] = 'function';

echo preg_replace($pattern, $replacement, $string);>

Output will be «Tricky function»

Problem arises when using «e» modifier, which allow us to use native PHP functions in replace parameters, like the example in this level,


function spam($email)
{
$email = preg_replace("/\./", " dot ", $email);
$email = preg_replace("/@/", " AT ", $email);

return $email;
}

function markup($filename, $use_me)

{
$contents = file_get_contents($filename);

$contents = preg_replace("/(\[email (.*)\])/e", "spam(\"\\2\")", $contents);
$contents = preg_replace("/\[/", "<", $contents);
$contents = preg_replace("/\]/", ">", $contents);

return $contents;
}

$output = markup($argv[1], $argv[2]);

print $output;

Let´s see how it works, we have set up a file in /tmp that contains 2 lines that will produce two different behaviors within the vuln function of this level, I´ve to say I had to read so many documentation regarding this, but that´s the main reason why i started these challenges, +1PHP,+1PRIVESC+1PCRE,-1preg_repplace,so funny!

 

nebula-level09-1

 

 

First red box shows a /tmp/file we´re passing through the PHP sink function , second box shows id executed from flag09 user, that we want to escalate in, and third red box shows normal behavior of the program, note that flag09.php is executed by a binary that flag09 owns, as you can see in the above picture too.

«There’s a C setuid wrapper for some vulnerable PHP code…»

So if we are able to execute code, it will be under flag09 privileges

nebula-level09-2

 

 

For last, I´ve to say I would be caught this time if some admin implemented the method I described in my last post about fsnoop

 

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