CVE-2020-13619
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2020-13619 is a command injection vulnerability in Locutus PHP's escapeshellarg function that allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands on affected systems. This affects applications using Locutus PHP versions through 2.0.11 that process untrusted input with the vulnerable function. The vulnerability enables remote code execution with the privileges of the application process.
💻 Affected Systems
- Locutus PHP
📦 What is this software?
Locutus Php by Locutus
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise allowing attackers to execute arbitrary commands, install malware, exfiltrate data, or pivot to other systems.
Likely Case
Remote code execution leading to data theft, service disruption, or lateral movement within the network.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper input validation and output encoding are implemented, though the vulnerability still exists.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires the application to pass untrusted input to the vulnerable function. Public proof-of-concept code demonstrates command injection.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 2.0.12 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://locutus.io/php/
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Update Locutus PHP to version 2.0.12 or later using npm: npm update locutus
2. Verify the update completed successfully
3. Test application functionality to ensure compatibility
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Input Validation and Sanitization
allImplement strict input validation and sanitization before passing data to escapeshellarg function
Function Replacement
allReplace vulnerable escapeshellarg calls with secure alternatives or custom implementations
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict input validation and sanitization for all user-supplied data
- Use application firewalls or WAF rules to block command injection patterns
- Restrict application permissions using least privilege principles
- Monitor for suspicious process execution and shell commands
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check package.json or run: npm list locutus | grep locutusCheck Version:
npm list locutus | grep locutusVerify Fix Applied:
Verify installed version is 2.0.12 or later: npm list locutus📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual process execution from Node.js applications
- Shell commands with unexpected arguments
- Failed command execution attempts
Network Indicators:
- Outbound connections from Node.js processes to unexpected destinations
- Command and control traffic patterns
SIEM Query:
process.name:node AND (cmdline:*sh* OR cmdline:*bash* OR cmdline:*cmd*)