Adithya Pawar
Source-scoped identity with 1 associated PoC and 1 linked vulnerability.
Exploit catalog results
Showing 1 PoC on this page
MetasploitDompdf RCE via Malicious Font Caching (CVE-2022-28368)
Metasploit exploitby Fabian Bräunlein, plus 3 additional contributorsAdded to Metasploit 2026-05-19ExploitCVE-2022-283681 file
Analysis
Technical assessment
A Metasploit module that exploits CVE-2022-28368 in dompdf by serving a malicious PHP file disguised as a TrueType font via CSS @font-face, causing dompdf to cache it with a .php extension, then triggering execution by requesting the cached file.
Backdoor review
No backdoor observed in reviewed code
The reviewed Metasploit module source code implements a documented exploit for CVE-2022-28368. It serves a malicious font file containing a PHP payload, injects CSS to trigger font caching, and then requests the cached file to execute the payload. All behavior is consistent with the described exploit technique and the Metasploit framework's standard operation. No concealed, deceptive, or operator-directed harm beyond the stated exploit was observed.
Classification basis and observed behavior
Classification basis
The artifact is a complete Metasploit exploit module that actively delivers a PHP payload, causes the target to cache it, and triggers its execution to establish a remote session.
modules/exploits/multi/http/dompdf_rce_cve_2022_28368.rb:6modules/exploits/multi/http/dompdf_rce_cve_2022_28368.rb:133modules/exploits/multi/http/dompdf_rce_cve_2022_28368.rb:209-223Requirements
- Ability to inject HTML/CSS into data processed by dompdf (e.g., via XSS, user-controlled form field, or direct parameter).
modules/exploits/multi/http/dompdf_rce_cve_2022_28368.rb:32-34 - The dompdf font cache directory (lib/fonts/) must be web-accessible.
modules/exploits/multi/http/dompdf_rce_cve_2022_28368.rb:33-34 - For dompdf versions 0.8.6 through 1.2.0, the $isRemoteEnabled option must be set to true.
modules/exploits/multi/http/dompdf_rce_cve_2022_28368.rb:29-30
Observed behavior
- Starts an HTTP server to serve a CSS file and a malicious PHP file with a TrueType font header and embedded PHP payload.
modules/exploits/multi/http/dompdf_rce_cve_2022_28368.rb:210-217modules/exploits/multi/http/dompdf_rce_cve_2022_28368.rb:124-148 - Injects a link to the malicious CSS into the target application via GET, POST, or JSON POST parameters.
modules/exploits/multi/http/dompdf_rce_cve_2022_28368.rb:151-187 - Triggers execution of the cached PHP file by sending a GET request to the predicted font cache path.
modules/exploits/multi/http/dompdf_rce_cve_2022_28368.rb:189-194 - Registers the cached PHP file for cleanup after exploitation.
modules/exploits/multi/http/dompdf_rce_cve_2022_28368.rb:220
Behaviors behind the backdoor verdict
Observables
- Exploit Mechanism
- Payload withheldThis is the core exploit technique for CVE-2022-28368, matching the module description and public vulnerability details.
modules/exploits/multi/http/dompdf_rce_cve_2022_28368.rb:124-149modules/exploits/multi/http/dompdf_rce_cve_2022_28368.rb:189-194 - Payload Delivery
- Payload withheldStandard Metasploit practice; the payload is user-selected and not hardcoded. No hidden or unrelated payload is present.
modules/exploits/multi/http/dompdf_rce_cve_2022_28368.rb:133 - Cleanup Mechanism
- Payload withheldIndicates the module attempts to remove the dropped artifact, consistent with the SideEffects note and standard Metasploit FileDropper mixin usage.
modules/exploits/multi/http/dompdf_rce_cve_2022_28368.rb:220
What the analysis did not establish
- Analysis is based on module source and metadata only; framework mixins, libraries, and external payloads are not expanded.
- The artifact is not executed; classification is based on static analysis of the provided Ruby code.
- Only the module source file was reviewed; Metasploit framework mixins (e.g., Msf::Exploit::Remote::HttpServer, HttpClient, FileDropper) and the selected payload are not included in the evidence and were not analyzed.
- The review does not assess the safety or intent of the Metasploit framework itself or any external payloads.
This review is limited to the supplied PoC code and context. It does not assert that the code works or is safe to execute.