Magento Neko.php PHP Web Shell

Threat actors have been seen attempting to upload arbitrary PHP files to victim servers via Magento Connect Manager. The malware consists of a PHP web shell (Neko.php) that allows the remote attacker to execute commands on the system, upload files, send emails, etc. If an attacker manages to upload this shell to the victim’s system, they will have full control of the server.

Exploitation

Stages

1. The remote attacker authenticates to the Magento Instance as an administrator or a user with “all” privileges. This can be achieved through various methods, such as brute force, social engineering, and authentication bypass vulnerability.
2. The server responds successfully, giving the remote attacker the appropriate cookies for authenticating to the Connect Manager Interface.
3. The remote attacker uploads their PHP file via the upload function in Magento Connect Manager. The upload must also contain an XML file, otherwise the upload will not work.
4. The server responds successfully, indicating that the file has been uploaded.

Prerequisites

The attacker must be able to send crafted packets to the target system.

Alert Logic Coverage

Alert Logic® has evaluated its customer base for exposure to the exploit and has developed signatures for mitigating the threat depending on the security service in place.

The Network-Based Intrusion Detection System (IDS) has been updated with the new signatures for this exploit when detected via Alert Logic Threat Manager™. If this signature is detected, an incident is generated in the Alert Logic console.

Recommendations for Mitigation

Upgrade to a non-vulnerable version to mitigate this vulnerability.