Format strings vuln in CGIwrap

[b0f www.b0f.net]

A locally and possibly remotely exploitable format
strings bug exists
in cgiwrap available from
http://cgiwrap.sourceforge.net/
http://sourceforge.net/projects/cgiwrap
http://www.freebsd.org/ports/security.html

I. BACKGROUND

This is CGIWrap - a gateway that allows more secure
user access to
CGI programs on an HTTPd server than is provided by the
http server
itself. The primary function of CGIWrap is to make
certain that
any CGI script runs with the permissions of the user
who installed
it, and not those of the server.

CGIWrap works with NCSA httpd, Apache, CERN httpd,
NetSite Commerce
and Communications servers, and probably any other Unix
based web
server software that supports CGI.

II. DESCRIPTION

On line 91 of msgs.c the printf() function is used
incorrectly. Which
results
in a format strings vulnerability.
<snip>
void MSG_Error_General(char *message)
{
MSG_Header("CGIWrap Error", message);
printf(message);
MSG_Footer();
exit(1);
}
</snip>

The binaries in cgiwrap, (cgiwrap and nph-cgiwrap) are
installed setuid
root.
Thus could make this format problem exploitable locally
to gain root
privs or
possably remotely to gain root or the privs of the user
who owns the cgi
script.

III. ANALYSIS
An attacker could exploit this issue to escalate privs
locally or
remotely on
a server running cgiwrap.

IV. DETECTION

This is vulnerable in the latest version of cgiwrap
version 3.7.1 and
properly
older versions(not checked). It would be exploitable on
any Linux/Unix
based OS
running cgiwrap

V. VENDOR
The vendor has not been contacted about this issue.

Regards
b0f (Alan M)
www.b0f.net

[Neulinger, Nathan]

This is not a security problem. This is a case of using an automated
tool to find these vulnerabilites and not attempting to understand the
code itself.=20

Nowhere in the code is MSG_Error_General() passed anything other than a
static compiled-into-the-executable string. It's purely a utility
function to wrap common error text/footer/etc. around a generic string.

-- Nathan

------------------------------------------------------------
Nathan Neulinger EMail: nneul@umr.edu
University of Missouri - Rolla Phone: (573) 341-4841
Computing Services Fax: (573) 341-4216


> -----Original Message-----
> From: security-bounces+nneul=3Dumr.edu@lists.umr.edu=20
> [mailto:security-bounces+nneul=3Dumr.edu@lists.umr.edu] On=20
> Behalf Of b0f www.b0f.net
> Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2003 11:06 AM
> To: bugtraq@securityfocus.com
> Subject: Format strings vuln in CGIwrap
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
> A locally and possibly remotely exploitable format
> strings bug exists=20
> in cgiwrap available from =20
> http://cgiwrap.sourceforge.net/
> http://sourceforge.net/projects/cgiwrap
> http://www.freebsd.org/ports/security.html=20
>=20
> I. BACKGROUND
>=20
> This is CGIWrap - a gateway that allows more secure
> user access to
> CGI programs on an HTTPd server than is provided by the
> http server
> itself. The primary function of CGIWrap is to make
> certain that
> any CGI script runs with the permissions of the user
> who installed
> it, and not those of the server.
>=20
> CGIWrap works with NCSA httpd, Apache, CERN httpd,
> NetSite Commerce
> and Communications servers, and probably any other Unix
> based web
> server software that supports CGI.
>=20
> II. DESCRIPTION
>=20
> On line 91 of msgs.c the printf() function is used
> incorrectly. Which=20
> results
> in a format strings vulnerability.
> <snip>
> void MSG_Error_General(char *message)
> {
> MSG_Header("CGIWrap Error", message);
> printf(message);=20
> MSG_Footer();
> exit(1);
> }
> </snip>
>=20
> The binaries in cgiwrap, (cgiwrap and nph-cgiwrap) are
> installed setuid=20
> root.
> Thus could make this format problem exploitable locally
> to gain root=20
> privs or
> possably remotely to gain root or the privs of the user
> who owns the cgi=20
> script.
>=20
> III. ANALYSIS
> An attacker could exploit this issue to escalate privs
> locally or=20
> remotely on
> a server running cgiwrap.
>=20
> IV. DETECTION
>=20
> This is vulnerable in the latest version of cgiwrap
> version 3.7.1 and=20
> properly
> older versions(not checked). It would be exploitable on
> any Linux/Unix=20
> based OS
> running cgiwrap=20
>=20
> V. VENDOR
> The vendor has not been contacted about this issue.
>=20
> Regards
> b0f (Alan M)
> www.b0f.net
> _______________________________________________
> UMR Security List Exploder
> security@lists.umr.edu
> https://lists.umr.edu/mailman/listinfo/security
>=20