Commix - A Tool for Exploiting and Detecting OS Command Injections

In the realm of security, we also call command injection "shell injection" or "operating system injection." Command injection consistently ranks in the OWASP top 10 list of critical security risks. It's a method used by hackers to run commands on a computer's operating system through vulnerable web applications. This attack happens when a web application sends user data to its system shell without proper validation. This user data can take many forms, such as HTTP headers, cookies, or form inputs. The history of command injection is intriguing; it was accidentally discovered by a programmer in Norway in the mid-1997. This vulnerability led to the emergence of another type of injection attack known as SQL command injection.

Introduction to Commix

Commix is a free and open-source tool that can be found on GitHub. It's a powerful tool used for exploiting command injection vulnerabilities in websites and web applications. Command injection vulnerabilities are common in web applications. In the context of cybersecurity, command injection is also known as shell injection. Commix is written in Python, so you need to have Python installed on your Kali Linux operating system to use it. Its interactive console is similar to Metasploitable 1 and Metasploitable, which makes it user-friendly. Commix is designed to test for command injection vulnerabilities in websites and web applications.

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Working of Commix

The Commix tool includes various modules that help users identify vulnerabilities in the target application. It attacks the target URL using data strings, HTTP headers, cookies, and authentication parameters. Commix offers different enumeration options. Users can perform two types of command injection using Commix: Result-Based Command Injection (RBCI) and Blind Command Injection Technique (BCIT).

RBCI: This technique involves firing commands in a web application, with all the commands reflecting back to the attacker.

BCIT: This technique involves firing commands in a web application, without receiving any reflection back from the browser.

Installation of the commix tool

Step 1: Open your Kali Linux operating system and use the following command to install the tool:

cd Desktop

git clone https://github.com/commixproject/commix.git commix

Step 2: After successfully installing the tool, use the following command to move into the directory of the tool:

cd commix

ls

Step 3: Now that you're in the tool's directory, use the following command to run the tool:

python3 commix.py

The tool is running successfully. Now we will see examples to use the tool.

Usage of Commix tool

To use Commix to check for command injection vulnerability in a domain, you can use the following command:

python3 commix.py --url http://example.com

Replace `http://example.com` with the actual URL you want to test. This command will scan the specified URL for command injection vulnerabilities.

To use Commix with the batch flag to check for command injection vulnerability in a domain, you can use the following command:

python3 commix.py -u http://example.com --batch

Replace `http://example.com` with the actual URL you want to test. This command will scan the specified URL for command injection vulnerabilities in batch mode.

To use Commix with the --all flag to check for command injection vulnerability in a domain, you can use the following command:

python3 commix.py -u http://example.com --all

Replace `http://example.com` with the actual URL you want to test. This command will scan the specified URL for command injection vulnerabilities using all available payloads and techniques.

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Conclusion

Commix is a powerful tool for identifying and exploiting command injection vulnerabilities in websites and web applications. It offers various enumeration options and can be used to perform both result-based and blind command injections. However, it's important to note that using Commix or any other hacking tool on systems or applications without proper authorization is illegal and unethical. Always ensure you have permission before conducting security testing.