PHP 'popen()' Function Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

BID:33216

Info

PHP 'popen()' Function Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

Bugtraq ID: 33216
Class: Boundary Condition Error
CVE:
Remote: Yes
Local: No
Published: Jan 12 2009 12:00AM
Updated: Mar 05 2009 08:26PM
Credit: e.wiZz!
Vulnerable: PHP PHP 5.2.8
PHP PHP 5.2.7
PHP PHP 5.2.6
PHP PHP 5.2.5
PHP PHP 5.2.4
PHP PHP 5.2.3
PHP PHP 5.2.2
PHP PHP 5.2.1
+ Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 7.04 sparc
+ Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 7.04 powerpc
+ Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 7.04 i386
+ Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 7.04 amd64
PHP PHP 5.1.6
+ Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 6.10 sparc
+ Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 6.10 powerpc
+ Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 6.10 i386
+ Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 6.10 amd64
PHP PHP 5.1.5
PHP PHP 5.1.4
PHP PHP 5.1.3 -RC1
PHP PHP 5.1.3
PHP PHP 5.1.2
+ Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 6.06 LTS sparc
+ Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 6.06 LTS powerpc
+ Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 6.06 LTS i386
+ Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 6.06 LTS amd64
PHP PHP 5.1.1
PHP PHP 5.1
PHP PHP 5.0.5
PHP PHP 5.0.4
PHP PHP 5.0.3
+ Trustix Secure Linux 2.2
PHP PHP 5.0.2
PHP PHP 5.0.1
PHP PHP 5.0 candidate 3
PHP PHP 5.0 candidate 2
PHP PHP 5.0 candidate 1
PHP PHP 5.0 .0
PHP PHP 4.4.9
PHP PHP 4.4.8
PHP PHP 4.4.7
- Slackware Linux 10.2
- Slackware Linux 11.0
- Slackware Linux -current
PHP PHP 4.4.6
PHP PHP 4.4.5
PHP PHP 4.4.4
PHP PHP 4.4.3
PHP PHP 4.4.2
PHP PHP 4.4.1
PHP PHP 4.4 .0
PHP PHP 4.3.11
PHP PHP 4.3.10
+ Gentoo Linux
+ Redhat Fedora Core3
+ Trustix Secure Enterprise Linux 2.0
+ Trustix Secure Linux 2.2
+ Trustix Secure Linux 2.1
+ Trustix Secure Linux 2.0
+ Trustix Secure Linux 1.5
PHP PHP 4.3.9
PHP PHP 4.3.8
+ Mandriva Linux Mandrake 10.1 x86_64
+ Mandriva Linux Mandrake 10.1
+ S.u.S.E. Linux Personal 9.2
+ Turbolinux Turbolinux Server 10.0
+ Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 4.1 ppc
+ Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 4.1 ia64
+ Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 4.1 ia32
PHP PHP 4.3.7
PHP PHP 4.3.6
PHP PHP 4.3.5
PHP PHP 4.3.4
+ MandrakeSoft Corporate Server 3.0 x86_64
+ MandrakeSoft Corporate Server 3.0
+ Mandriva Linux Mandrake 10.0 AMD64
+ Mandriva Linux Mandrake 10.0
+ S.u.S.E. Linux Personal 9.1
PHP PHP 4.3.3
+ S.u.S.E. Linux Personal 9.0 x86_64
+ S.u.S.E. Linux Personal 9.0
+ Turbolinux Home
+ Turbolinux Turbolinux 10 F...
+ Turbolinux Turbolinux Desktop 10.0
PHP PHP 4.3.2
PHP PHP 4.3.1
+ Mandriva Linux Mandrake 9.1 ppc
+ Mandriva Linux Mandrake 9.1
+ OpenPKG OpenPKG Current
+ S.u.S.E. Linux Personal 8.2
PHP PHP 4.3
PHP PHP 4.2.3
+ EnGarde Secure Linux 1.0.1
+ MandrakeSoft Corporate Server 2.1 x86_64
+ MandrakeSoft Corporate Server 2.1
+ Mandriva Linux Mandrake 9.0
+ Turbolinux Turbolinux Server 8.0
+ Turbolinux Turbolinux Server 7.0
+ Turbolinux Turbolinux Workstation 8.0
+ Turbolinux Turbolinux Workstation 7.0
PHP PHP 4.2.2
+ Gentoo Linux 1.4 _rc1
+ Gentoo Linux 1.2
+ OpenPKG OpenPKG 1.1
+ Redhat Linux 8.0 i386
+ Redhat Linux 8.0
+ SuSE Linux 8.1
PHP PHP 4.2.1
- FreeBSD FreeBSD 4.6
- FreeBSD FreeBSD 4.5
- FreeBSD FreeBSD 4.4
- FreeBSD FreeBSD 4.3
+ Slackware Linux 8.1
PHP PHP 4.2 .0
PHP PHP 5.2
+ Debian Linux 4.0 sparc
+ Debian Linux 4.0 s/390
+ Debian Linux 4.0 powerpc
+ Debian Linux 4.0 mipsel
+ Debian Linux 4.0 mips
+ Debian Linux 4.0 m68k
+ Debian Linux 4.0 ia-64
+ Debian Linux 4.0 ia-32
+ Debian Linux 4.0 hppa
+ Debian Linux 4.0 arm
+ Debian Linux 4.0 amd64
+ Debian Linux 4.0 alpha
+ Debian Linux 4.0
Not Vulnerable:

Discussion

PHP 'popen()' Function Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

PHP is prone to a buffer-overflow vulnerability because it fails to perform boundary checks before copying user-supplied data to insufficiently sized memory buffers.

An attacker can exploit this issue to execute arbitrary machine code in the context of the affected webserver. Failed exploit attempts will likely crash the webserver, denying service to legitimate users.

PHP 5.2.8 and prior versions are vulnerable.

UPDATE (March 4, 2009): Further reports indicate that this issue may not be exploitable as described. We will update this BID pending further investigation.

Exploit / POC

PHP 'popen()' Function Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

The following proof-of-concept code is available:

Solution / Fix

PHP 'popen()' Function Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

Solution:
Currently we are not aware of any vendor-supplied patches. If you feel we are in error or if you are aware of more recent information, please mail us at: [email protected].

References

PHP 'popen()' Function Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

References:

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