Bugtraq: Re: Hijacking Apache 2 via mod_perl

[Ben Laurie <ben () algroup co uk>]

3APA3A wrote:

> Dear Ben Laurie,
>
> --Thursday, January 22, 2004, 6:53:01 PM, you wrote to linux_4ever () yahoo com:
>
> BL> This is not a leak - mod_perl is a module that is compiled into Apache,
> BL> and hence has access to all its resources (including memory). If you
> BL> want to run untrusted Perl, then don't use mod_perl.
>
> You're  right: mod_perl is inside apache memory space and can access any
> descriptor, so it's impossible to blame apache descriptor is leaked. But
> you're  wrong. mod_perl has access to memory, not perl script. At least,
> it's  possible  to  store  descriptors  table  and  implement  check for
> descriptor  in  every  perl  file/socket  function  inside mod_perl (and
> mod_php  and mod_something) and only allow access to std descriptors and
> to  descriptors open inside same script. The choice is between speed and
> security.
OK, you _might_ be able to do this (but I'll bet you five beers you'll 
never make Perl secure enough to avoid circumvention), and I doubt it'd 
even noticably impact speed. This is not something Apache can fix, though.
Cheers,

Ben.

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