CVE-2015-2945 in mt-phpincgi
Summary
by MITRE
mt-phpincgi.php in Hajime Fujimoto mt-phpincgi before 2015-05-15 does not properly restrict URLs, which allows remote attackers to conduct PHP object injection attacks and execute arbitrary PHP code via a crafted request, as exploited in the wild in May 2015.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/09/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2945 affects the mt-phpincgi.php component within Hajime Fujimoto mt-phpincgi software prior to version 2015-05-15. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that enables remote attackers to perform PHP object injection attacks through improperly restricted URL handling mechanisms. The vulnerability emerged as a significant threat in May 2015 when it was actively exploited in the wild, demonstrating the real-world impact of such flaws in web applications.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper validation and sanitization of URL parameters within the mt-phpincgi.php script. When the application processes incoming requests containing crafted URLs, it fails to adequately filter or restrict the input data, allowing malicious payloads to be passed directly to PHP's object serialization and deserialization functions. This weakness creates an injection vector where attackers can manipulate the application's behavior by injecting malicious PHP objects through URL parameters. The flaw specifically targets the PHP object injection vulnerability category, which is classified under CWE-502 in the Common Weakness Enumeration system, representing a dangerous pattern where untrusted data is deserialized without proper validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with the ability to execute arbitrary PHP code on the affected system. This remote code execution capability allows threat actors to gain full control over the vulnerable server, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data theft, or use as a foothold for further attacks within the network. The exploitation occurs without requiring authentication or specific user interaction, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by automated attack tools. Attackers can utilize this vulnerability to deploy backdoors, steal sensitive information, modify web content, or establish persistent access to the compromised systems.
The exploitation of CVE-2015-2945 aligns with several techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to code injection and remote code execution. The attack pattern follows the typical methodology of object injection attacks where malicious serialized data is passed to the unserialize() function, triggering arbitrary code execution. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and the principle of least privilege in web application security. Organizations should implement comprehensive security measures including regular patching, input validation, and monitoring for anomalous network traffic. The incident also highlights the necessity of following secure coding practices that prevent deserialization of untrusted data, as recommended in various security standards and best practices for PHP application development.