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DVWA - File upload

A very useful aspect of PHP is the ability to manage file uploads. Allowing users to send a file opens a whole can of worms, so be careful when allowing this fonctionnality. If wrong protected it could result of a full control of the server. With DVWA you can learn effective defense.

Low

if(!move_uploaded_file($_FILES['uploaded']['tmp_name'], $target_path)) {
    $html .= '<pre>';
    $html .= 'Your image was not uploaded.';
    $html .= '</pre>';
} else {
    $html .= '<pre>';
    $html .= $target_path . ' succesfully uploaded!';
    $html .= '</pre>';
}

The first level is the easiest because it has absolutly no protection against malicious file upload. Choose a file - in my case a PHP shell - and submit the form:

DVWA file upload

The script has been successfully uploaded and the path displayed, now you can easily call it:

DVWA file upload

Medium

if (($uploaded_type == "image/jpeg") && ($uploaded_size < 100000)){
  if(!move_uploaded_file($_FILES['uploaded']['tmp_name'], $target_path)) {
    $html .= '<pre>';
    $html .= 'Your image was not uploaded.';
    $html .= '</pre>';
  } else {
    $html .= '<pre>';
    $html .= $target_path . ' succesfully uploaded!';
    $html .= '</pre>';
  }
}
else {
  echo '<pre>Your image was not uploaded.</pre>';
}

In the next level, the script checks the size of the uploaded file, which is useless because a PHP backdoor can be under 1ko, and the mime type by allowing only jpeg image, which is a good idea. If you try to upload anything else you will be faced to the following error:

DVWA file upload

To bypass this test, you need to change the mime type of the file you choosed.  There is plenty of browser extensions available to perform that kind of tricks, I personally like LiveHTTPHeaders for Firefox which is very easy to use. After submitting your file, you can view, modify and replay the request. Locate the Content-type header and replace it by: image/jpeg

DVWA file upload

Submit the new request, et voilà! It works like a fucking charm!

High

if (($uploaded_ext == "jpg" || $uploaded_ext == "JPG" || $uploaded_ext == "jpeg" || $uploaded_ext == "JPEG") && ($uploaded_size < 100000)){
  if(!move_uploaded_file($_FILES['uploaded']['tmp_name'], $target_path)) {
    $html .= '<pre>';
    $html .= 'Your image was not uploaded 1.';
    $html .= '</pre>';
  } else {
    $html .= '<pre>';
    $html .= $target_path . ' succesfully uploaded!';
    $html .= '</pre>';
  }
}

Here the check of the mime type has been replaced by an extension check. That does not mean you can only upload jpeg image but only a file with an allowed jpeg extension. Of course if you upload a PHP script renamed with a jpeg extension your browser will throw an error when trying to display the image:

DVWA file upload

It would be also possible to bypass this if you could upload an .htaccess but there is no way in this level, it’s well secured.

External resources