Plex Media Server < 1.19.3 Authenticated RCE - Nessus

High Plugin ID: 137326

This page contains detailed information about the Plex Media Server < 1.19.3 Authenticated RCE Nessus plugin including available exploits and PoCs found on GitHub, in Metasploit or Exploit-DB for verifying of this vulnerability.

Table Of Contents

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Plugin Overview
Vulnerability Information

Synopsis
Description
Solution

Public Exploits
Risk Information
Plugin Source
How to Run
References
Version

Plugin Overview

ID: 137326
Name: Plex Media Server < 1.19.3 Authenticated RCE
Filename: plex_1_19_3.nasl
Vulnerability Published: 2020-05-07
This Plugin Published: 2020-06-11
Last Modification Time: 2020-08-14
Plugin Version: 1.5
Plugin Type: combined
Plugin Family: Windows
Dependencies: os_fingerprint.nasl, plex_detect.nbin, plex_win_installed.nbin
Required KB Items [?]: Host/OS, installed_sw/Plex Media Server

Vulnerability Information

Severity: High
Vulnerability Published: 2020-05-07
Patch Published: 2020-05-07
CVE [?]: CVE-2020-5741
CPE [?]: cpe:/a:plex:plex_media_server

Synopsis

A client-server media player running on the remote host is affected by a remote code execution vulnerability.

Description

According to its self-reported version number, the version of Plex Media Server installed on the remote Windows host is prior to 1.19.3. It is, therefore, affected by an authenticated remote code execution vulnerability in the camera upload feature. An authenticated, remote attacker can exploit this, by uploading a malicious file via the camera upload feature, to cause arbitrary python code to be executed in the context of the current OS user..

Note that Nessus has not tested for these issues but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.

Solution

Upgrade to Plex Media Server version 1.19.3 or later.

Public Exploits

Target Network Port(s): N/A
Target Asset(s): N/A
Exploit Available: True (Metasploit Framework)
Exploit Ease: Exploits are available

Here's the list of publicly known exploits and PoCs for verifying the Plex Media Server < 1.19.3 Authenticated RCE vulnerability:

Metasploit: exploit/windows/http/plex_unpickle_dict_rce
[Plex Unpickle Dict Windows RCE]

Before running any exploit against any system, make sure you are authorized by the owner of the target system(s) to perform such activity. In any other case, this would be considered as an illegal activity.

Risk Information

CVSS Score Source [?]: CVE-2020-5741
CVSS V2 Vector: AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P/E:F/RL:OF/RC:C

CVSS Base Score:	6.5 (Medium)
Impact Subscore:	6.4
Exploitability Subscore:	8.0
CVSS Temporal Score:	5.4 (Medium)
CVSS Environmental Score:	NA (None)
Modified Impact Subscore:	NA
Overall CVSS Score:	5.4 (Medium)

CVSS V3 Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:F/RL:O/RC:C

CVSS Base Score:	7.2 (High)
Impact Subscore:	5.9
Exploitability Subscore:	1.2
CVSS Temporal Score:	6.7 (Medium)
CVSS Environmental Score:	NA (None)
Modified Impact Subscore:	NA
Overall CVSS Score:	6.7 (Medium)

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Plugin Source

#
# (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
#

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(137326);
  script_version("1.5");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2020/08/14");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2020-5741");

  script_name(english:"Plex Media Server < 1.19.3 Authenticated RCE");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"A client-server media player running on the remote host is affected by a remote code execution vulnerability.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"According to its self-reported version number, the version of Plex Media Server installed on the remote Windows host is
prior to 1.19.3. It is, therefore, affected by an authenticated remote code execution vulnerability in the camera upload
feature. An authenticated, remote attacker can exploit this, by uploading a malicious file via the camera upload
feature, to cause arbitrary python code to be executed in the context of the current OS user..

Note that Nessus has not tested for these issues but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version
number.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://www.tenable.com/security/research/tra-2020-32");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://forums.plex.tv/t/security-regarding-cve-2020-5741/586819");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"Upgrade to Plex Media Server version 1.19.3 or later.");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:F/RL:OF/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:F/RL:O/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2020-5741");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"Exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"true");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"metasploit_name", value:'Plex Unpickle Dict Windows RCE');
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_framework_metasploit", value:"true");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2020/05/07");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2020/05/07");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2020/06/11");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"combined");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/a:plex:plex_media_server");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Windows");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2020 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("plex_detect.nbin", "os_fingerprint.nasl", "plex_win_installed.nbin");
  script_require_keys("installed_sw/Plex Media Server", "Host/OS");

  exit(0);
}

include('http.inc');
include('vcf.inc');

# This vulnerability only affects Windows hosts
os = get_kb_item_or_exit('Host/OS');
if ('windows' >!< tolower(os))
  audit(AUDIT_OS_NOT, 'Windows');

app_info = vcf::combined_get_app_info(app:'Plex Media Server');

constraints = [
  { 'fixed_version' : '1.19.3' }
];

vcf::check_version_and_report(app_info:app_info, constraints:constraints, severity:SECURITY_WARNING);

The latest version of this script can be found in these locations depending on your platform:

Linux / Unix:
/opt/nessus/lib/nessus/plugins/plex_1_19_3.nasl
Windows:
C:\ProgramData\Tenable\Nessus\nessus\plugins\plex_1_19_3.nasl
Mac OS X:
/Library/Nessus/run/lib/nessus/plugins/plex_1_19_3.nasl

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How to Run

Here is how to run the Plex Media Server < 1.19.3 Authenticated RCE as a standalone plugin via the Nessus web user interface (https://localhost:8834/):

Click to start a New Scan.
Select Advanced Scan.
Navigate to the Plugins tab.
On the top right corner click to Disable All plugins.
On the left side table select Windows plugin family.
On the right side table select Plex Media Server < 1.19.3 Authenticated RCE plugin ID 137326.
Specify the target on the Settings tab and click to Save the scan.
Run the scan.

Here are a few examples of how to run the plugin in the command line. Note that the examples below demonstrate the usage on the Linux / Unix platform.

Basic usage:

/opt/nessus/bin/nasl plex_1_19_3.nasl -t <IP/HOST>

Run the plugin with audit trail message on the console:

/opt/nessus/bin/nasl -a plex_1_19_3.nasl -t <IP/HOST>

Run the plugin with trace script execution written to the console (useful for debugging):

/opt/nessus/bin/nasl -T - plex_1_19_3.nasl -t <IP/HOST>

Run the plugin with using a state file for the target and updating it (useful for running multiple plugins on the target):

/opt/nessus/bin/nasl -K /tmp/state plex_1_19_3.nasl -t <IP/HOST>

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References

See also:

Similar and related Nessus plugins:

156380 - Plex Media Server < 1.25.0.5282 Privilege Escalation
117441 - FreeBSD : Plex Media Server -- Information Disclosure Vulnerability (337960ec-b5dc-11e8-ac58-a4badb2f4699)

Version

This page has been produced using Nessus Professional 10.1.2 (#68) LINUX, Plugin set 202205072148.
Plugin file plex_1_19_3.nasl version 1.5. For more plugins, visit the Nessus Plugin Library.

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Plex Media Server < 1.19.3 Authenticated RCE - Nessus

Plugin Overview

Vulnerability Information

Synopsis

Description

Solution

Public Exploits

Risk Information

Plugin Source

How to Run

References

Version

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