# Course #72: Introduction to cmseek$
## Section 1: Installation and Configuration on Kali Linux
### 1.1 Overview of cmseek$
cmseek$ is a powerful tool designed for web application security assessments, specifically for Content Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal. It automates the process of discovering vulnerabilities and misconfigurations in web applications, making it an essential tool for penetration testers and security researchers.
### 1.2 Prerequisites
Before installing cmseek$, ensure you have the following prerequisites:
– **Kali Linux**: You should have Kali Linux installed on your machine. You can download it from the [official Kali Linux website](https://www.kali.org/downloads/).
– **Git**: cmseek$ is often fetched from its GitHub repository, so ensure Git is installed. You can install Git using:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install git
"`
– **Python**: cmseek$ is built using Python, make sure Python (preferably 3.x) is installed on your machine. You can check this by running:
python3 –version
"`
### 1.3 Installation Steps
1. **Clone the cmseek$ Repository**
Open your terminal and run:
git clone https://github.com/Tuhinshubhra/CMSeek.git
This command will create a directory named `CMSeek` in your current location.
2. **Navigate to the CMSeek Directory**
Change into the directory with:
cd CMSeek
3. **Install Dependencies**
cmseek$ requires certain Python packages to function correctly. You can install these using pip. If pip is not installed, you can install it with:
sudo apt install python3-pip
After pip is installed, run:
pip3 install -r requirements.txt
4. **Run cmseek$**
To ensure everything is set up correctly, you can run the cmseek$ tool with:
python3 cmseek.py
This will display the help options and usage statements, confirming that the installation is successful.
### 1.4 Configuration
cmseek$ generally does not require extensive configuration. However, you may want to customize settings such as:
– **User-Agent Strings**: This can be modified in the source code if you need to use a different User-Agent when making requests to the target web applications.
– **Custom Wordlists**: For enhanced scanning results, you might want to specify custom wordlists for either directories or exploit payloads.
To create a custom wordlist, generate a text file with your desired entries and specify it during your scan (more on usage in the next section).
## Section 2: Step-by-Step Usage & Real-World Use Cases
### 2.1 Basic Usage
The basic command to run cmseek$ against a target website is:
"`bash
python3 cmseek.py -u http://targetwebsite.com
"`
Where `http://targetwebsite.com` is the URL of the target application.
### 2.2 Common Options
– `-u` : Specify the target URL.
– `-t` : Specify the type of the CMS (e.g., wordpress, joomla, drupal).
– `-w` : Use a custom wordlist (for more targeted testing).
– `-o` : Specify an output file to save the results.
### 2.3 Real-World Use Case: Testing a WordPress Site
Let's say you're tasked with pen-testing a WordPress website. Here’s a step-by-step approach using cmseek$:
1. **Identify the Target URL**
Assuming the target URL is `http://example-wordpress-site.com`.
2. **Basic Scan**
Start with a basic scan to identify general vulnerabilities:
python3 cmseek.py -u http://example-wordpress-site.com -t wordpress
3. **Using a Custom Wordlist**
If you have a list of specific plugins or themes you want to check vulnerabilities for, you can create a custom wordlist (e.g., `custom-plugins.txt`) and use it:
python3 cmseek.py -u http://example-wordpress-site.com -t wordpress -w custom-plugins.txt
4. **Saving Results**
If you want to save the results for further analysis, use the `-o` option:
python3 cmseek.py -u http://example-wordpress-site.com -t wordpress -o results.txt
### 2.4 Detailed Technical Explanations of Findings
Once you have run cmseek$, it will output various findings, such as:
– **Vulnerable Plugins**: If a known vulnerable version of a plugin is detected, cmseek$ will flag it. It is crucial to cross-reference with the [WPScan Vulnerability Database](https://wpvulndb.com/) to assess the severity and impact.
– **Configuration Issues**: It may highlight insecure configurations in the WordPress setup, such as file permissions or default settings that could be exploited.
– **Potential Attack Vectors**: cmseek$ may suggest certain endpoints or functionalities that could be further tested for weaknesses, such as XML-RPC services or REST API endpoints that are improperly secured.
### 2.5 Example Code: Exploitation of a Vulnerable Plugin
For educational purposes, here's a hypothetical example of how you might exploit a vulnerability found in a plugin, assuming you have gained permission to test:
"`python
import requests
# Target website and endpoint
target_url = 'http://example-wordpress-site.com/wp-json/wp/v2/posts'
# Payload for exploiting a known vulnerability
payload = {
'title': 'Hacked!',
'content': 'This site has been compromised.',
'status': 'publish'
}
# Exploitation – Requires proper authentication based on the vulnerability
headers = {
'Authorization': 'Bearer
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
}
# Send the POST request to exploit the vulnerability
response = requests.post(target_url, headers=headers, json=payload)
if response.status_code == 201:
print("Post successfully published!")
else:
print("Failed to exploit the vulnerability.")
"`
**Note**: This example is purely demonstrative. Always ensure you have permission to test any application.
## Section 3: Advanced Usage Scenarios
### 3.1 Integrating with Other Tools
cmseek$ can be integrated with other security tools to enhance your penetration testing workflow. For instance, pairing it with tools like Burp Suite or OWASP ZAP can provide a more comprehensive assessment.
– **Using Burp Suite**: You can set up Burp Suite to intercept the requests made by cmseek$. This allows you to analyze the traffic, manipulate requests, or even fuzz endpoints further.
### 3.2 Custom Scripting
For advanced users, cmseek$ can be scripted to automate scans across multiple targets, log results, or even trigger alerts based on specific findings.
Example of a simple bash script to loop through a file containing multiple URLs:
"`bash
#!/bin/bash
while read url; do
echo "Scanning $url"
python3 cmseek.py -u $url -o "${url//http:///}_results.txt"
done < target_urls.txt
```
### 3.3 Reporting Findings
After completing your assessments, it’s crucial to compile your findings into a report. Highlight critical vulnerabilities, potential impacts, and recommended remediations.
## Additional Resources
- [Official cmseek$ GitHub Repository](https://github.com/Tuhinshubhra/CMSeek)
- [OWASP Testing Guide](https://owasp.org/www-project-web-security-testing-guide/)
- [WordPress Security Best Practices](https://wordpress.org/support/article/hardening-wordpress/)
- [WPScan Vulnerability Database](https://wpvulndb.com/)
This completes the introductory section on cmseek$. Dive deeper into its capabilities and enhance your web application security testing skills!
Made by pablo rotem / פבלו רותם