CVE-2017-9757 in IPFire
Summary
by MITRE
IPFire 2.19 has a Remote Command Injection vulnerability in ids.cgi via the OINKCODE parameter, which is mishandled by a shell. This can be exploited directly by authenticated users, or through CSRF.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/29/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9757 represents a critical remote command injection flaw within IPFire version 2.19, specifically affecting the ids.cgi component. This vulnerability stems from improper input validation and sanitization of the OINKCODE parameter, which is processed through a shell execution mechanism. The flaw allows attackers to inject arbitrary commands that are subsequently executed with the privileges of the web server process, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the insecure handling of user-supplied input within the ids.cgi script. When the OINKCODE parameter is passed to the script, it undergoes inadequate validation and is directly incorporated into shell commands without proper sanitization. This creates an environment where malicious input can be interpreted and executed as shell commands, bypassing normal security boundaries. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited by authenticated users who have access to the web interface, and it can also be leveraged through cross-site request forgery attacks, amplifying the attack surface significantly.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple command execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to escalate privileges and potentially gain full control over the affected system. Attackers could use this vulnerability to install backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive data, modify system configurations, or establish persistent access to the network infrastructure. The fact that this vulnerability can be exploited through CSRF means that an attacker could potentially trick authenticated users into executing malicious commands on their behalf, making the attack vector more insidious and harder to detect. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-77 and CWE-94 within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, representing improper input validation and command injection respectively.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-9757 require immediate patching of the IPFire system to a version that properly validates and sanitizes the OINKCODE parameter before shell execution. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to administrative interfaces and enforce strong authentication mechanisms. Additionally, monitoring for unusual command execution patterns and implementing web application firewalls can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and the principle of least privilege in web application security, aligning with ATT&CK techniques related to command and scripting interpreter execution and privilege escalation. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other components of the system infrastructure.