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CVE-2019-12181 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in SolarWinds Serv-U FTP Server for Linux, prior to version 15.1.7. The flaw is due to unsafe handling of the 'filename_of_executable' parameter, which is passed unsanitized to the system() function when the server is started with the '-prepareinstallation' flag. The Serv-U binary is SUID-root, and exploitation is possible by manipulating argv[0] to inject arbitrary shell commands, resulting in execution as root. The vulnerability was discovered through reverse engineering and analysis of the binary's system() calls.
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2 valid exploits after Mallory filtered fakes, detection scripts, and README-only repos (2 hidden).
This repository contains a single Metasploit module targeting a local privilege escalation vulnerability (CVE-2019-12181) in SolarWinds Serv-U FTP Server versions prior to 15.1.7 on Linux. The exploit leverages the setuid-root Serv-U executable, which insecurely uses ARGV[0] in a system() call when invoked with the -prepareinstallation flag, allowing arbitrary command execution as root. The module uploads a custom payload (e.g., a shell or meterpreter binary) to a writable directory (default: /tmp), abuses the vulnerability to make the payload setuid-root, and then executes it to obtain a root shell. The exploit requires local shell access to the target system and appropriate permissions to write to the chosen directory. The code is operational and leverages Metasploit's payload generation and session management features. No network endpoints are involved; all actions are performed locally on the target system.
This repository contains a local privilege escalation exploit for CVE-2019-12181, targeting Serv-U FTP version 15.1.6 on Linux. The main exploit is implemented in 'servu-pe-cve-2019-12181.c', a C program that executes the vulnerable Serv-U binary located at '/usr/local/Serv-U/Serv-U' with specially crafted arguments. If successful, the exploit spawns a root shell, granting the attacker elevated privileges. The repository includes a README with a brief description, a license file, and a .gitignore. The exploit requires local access to the target system and is operational, providing a working shell payload. No network endpoints are involved; the attack vector is purely local, exploiting a file path endpoint.
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