heap-exploitation

---
name: heap-exploitation
description: >-
  Heap exploitation playbook. Use when targeting ptmalloc2/glibc heap vulnerabilities including UAF, double free, overflow, off-by-one/null, and leveraging tcache/fastbin/unsortedbin attacks for arbitrary write or code execution.
---

# SKILL: Heap Exploitation — Expert Attack Playbook

> **AI LOAD INSTRUCTION**: Expert glibc heap exploitation techniques. Covers ptmalloc2 internals, bin structures, tcache mechanics, libc/heap leak methods, and attack selection by glibc version. Distilled from ctf-wiki heap sections, how2heap, and real-world exploitation. Base models often confuse glibc version constraints and miss safe-linking (PROTECT_PTR) introduced in 2.32.

## 0. RELATED ROUTING

- [stack-overflow-and-rop](../stack-overflow-and-rop/SKILL.md) — when the overflow is on the stack rather than the heap
- [format-string-exploitation](../format-string-exploitation/SKILL.md) — leak heap/libc addresses via format string
- [arbitrary-write-to-rce](../arbitrary-write-to-rce/SKILL.md) — convert heap arbitrary write into code execution
- [binary-protection-bypass](../binary-protection-bypass/SKILL.md) — bypass ASLR/RELRO to use heap write effectively

### Advanced References

- [HOUSE_OF_TECHNIQUES.md](./HOUSE_OF_TECHNIQUES.md) — House of Force/Spirit/Orange/Einherjar/Roman/Pig/Banana/Cat/Apple and tcache attacks
- [IO_FILE_EXPLOITATION.md](./IO_FILE_EXPLOITATION.md) — _IO_FILE vtable hijack, FSOP, stdout/stdin abuse, exit flow exploitation

---

## 1. PTMALLOC2 STRUCTURE QUICK REFERENCE

### malloc_chunk Layout (64-bit)

```
         chunk pointer (returned by malloc - 0x10)
         ┌──────────────────────────┐
    0x00 │  prev_size (if prev free)│
    0x08 │  size        | A | M | P │  ← P=PREV_INUSE, M=IS_MMAPPED, A=NON_MAIN_ARENA
         ├──────────────────────────┤  ← user data starts here (returned pointer)
    0x10 │  fd (if free)            │  ← forward pointer to next free chunk
    0x18 │  bk (if free)            │  ← backward pointer to prev free chunk
    0x20 │  fd_nextsize (large only)│
    0x28 │  bk_nextsize (large only)│
         └──────────────────────────┘
```

### Bin Types

| Bin | Size Range (64-bit) | Structure | LIFO/FIFO |
|---|---|---|---|
| tcache (per-thread) | ≤ 0x410 (7 entries per size) | Singly linked (next pointer) | LIFO |
| fastbin | ≤ 0x80 (default) | Singly linked (fd) | LIFO |
| unsortedbin | Any freed size | Doubly linked circular | FIFO |
| smallbin | < 0x400 | Doubly linked circular | FIFO |
| largebin | ≥ 0x400 | Doubly linked + size-sorted | Sorted |

### Key Global Structures

| Structure | Location | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| `main_arena` | libc .data segment | Contains bin heads, top chunk, system_mem |
| `mp_` | libc .data | malloc parameters (tcache settings, mmap threshold) |
| `tcache_perthread_struct` | Heap (first allocation) | Per-thread tcache bins and counts |

---

## 2. LEAK METHODS

### Libc Base Leak

| Method | Precondition | Technique |
|---|---|---|
| Unsortedbin fd/bk | Free a chunk > tcache range (or fill tcache) | fd/bk → `main_arena + 0x60` (or +0x70 depending on version) → libc base |
| Smallbin fd/bk | Chunk moved from unsortedbin to smallbin | Same as unsortedbin leak |
| stdout FILE leak | Write to `_IO_2_1_stdout_` | Corrupt `_IO_write_base` to leak libc data (see IO_FILE) |

### Heap Base Leak

| Method | Precondition | Technique |
|---|---|---|
| Tcache fd pointer | Free two tcache chunks, read first's fd | fd → heap address (XOR'd in ≥ 2.32) |
| Fastbin fd | Free two fastbin chunks | fd → heap address |
| UAF read | Use-after-free on freed chunk | Read fd/bk directly |

### Safe-Linking Decode (glibc ≥ 2.32)

```python
# PROTECT_PTR: fd_stored = (chunk_addr >> 12) ^ real_fd
# To decode: real_fd = fd_stored ^ (chunk_addr >> 12)
# To encode: fd_stored = (chunk_addr >> 12) ^ target_addr

def deobfuscate(stored_fd, chunk_addr):
    return stored_fd ^ (chunk_addr >> 12)

def obfuscate(target, chunk_addr):
    return (chunk_addr >> 12) ^ target
```

---

## 3. ATTACK CATEGORIES BY GLIBC VERSION

### glibc < 2.26 (No tcache)

| Attack | Primitive Needed | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Fastbin dup | Double free | Arbitrary allocation |
| Unsortedbin attack | Corrupt unsortedbin bk | Write `main_arena` addr to target (used for __malloc_hook nearby overwrite) |
| Unlink attack | Heap overflow into prev_size + fd/bk | Arbitrary write (with known heap pointer) |
| House of Force | Top chunk size overwrite | Arbitrary allocation |
| House of Spirit | Write fake chunk header | Fastbin allocation at fake chunk |
| Off-by-one null | Null byte overflow into next chunk size | Overlapping chunks |

### glibc 2.26–2.28 (tcache, no key)

| Attack | Notes |
|---|---|
| Tcache poisoning | Overwrite tcache fd → arbitrary allocation, no size check |
| Tcache dup | Double free into tcache (no double-free detection yet) |
| All previous attacks | Still work, but chunks go to tcache first |

### glibc 2.29–2.31 (tcache key introduced)

| Attack | Bypass for tcache key |
|---|---|
| Tcache dup | Corrupt `key` field (at chunk+0x18) before second free |
| House of Botcake | Double free: one in unsortedbin, one in tcache → overlapping |
| Tcache stashing unlink | Abuse smallbin→tcache refill to get arbitrary chunk |

### glibc 2.32–2.33 (safe-linking / PROTECT_PTR)

| Attack | Adaptation |
|---|---|
| Tcache poisoning | Encode target with `(chunk_addr >> 12) ^ target` |
| Heap leak required | Need heap addr to decode/encode safe-linked pointers |
| Fastbin dup | Same encoding required |

### glibc ≥ 2.34 (hooks removed)

| Change | Impact |
|---|---|
| `__malloc_hook` removed | Cannot overwrite hook for one_gadget |
| `__free_hook` removed | Cannot overwrite hook |
| `__realloc_hook` removed | Cannot use realloc trick for one_gadget constraints |

**Post-2.34 targets**: see [arbitrary-write-to-rce](../arbitrary-write-to-rce/SKILL.md) for `_IO_FILE`, `exit_funcs`, `TLS_dtor_list`, `_dl_fini`.

---

## 4. COMMON VULNERABILITY PATTERNS

| Vulnerability | Description | Exploitation Path |
|---|---|---|
| UAF (Use-After-Free) | Access chunk after free | Read: leak fd/bk; Write: corrupt fd for tcache poisoning |
| Double Free | free() same chunk twice | Tcache dup (bypass key) or fastbin dup |
| Heap Overflow | Write past chunk boundary | Corrupt next chunk's metadata (size, fd, bk) |
| Off-by-one | One byte overflow | Null byte → shrink next chunk size → overlapping chunks |
| Off-by-null | Specifically `\x00` overflow | Clear PREV_INUSE → trigger backward consolidation |
| Uninitialized read | Read heap memory without clearing | Leak fd/bk from recycled chunk |

---

## 5. TOOLS

```bash
# pwndbg heap inspection
pwndbg> heap                      # display all chunks
pwndbg> bins                      # show all bin contents
pwndbg> tcachebins                # tcache status
pwndbg> fastbins                  # fastbin status
pwndbg> unsortedbin               # unsortedbin content
pwndbg> vis_heap_chunks           # visual heap layout
pwndbg> find_fake_fast &__malloc_hook  # find nearby fake fastbin chunks

# how2heap — reference implementations
git clone https://github.com/shellphish/how2heap

# heapinspect
pip install heapinspect
heapinspect <pid>

# pwntools helpers
from pwn import *
libc = ELF('./libc.so.6')
print(hex(libc.symbols['__malloc_hook']))
print(hex(libc.symbols['__free_hook']))
```

---

## 6. DECISION TREE

```
Heap vulnerability identified
├── What is the primitive?
│   ├── UAF (read + write)
│   │   ├── Can read freed chunk? → Leak libc (unsortedbin) or heap (tcache fd)
│   │   └── Can write freed chunk? → Tcache poisoning / fastbin dup
│   ├── Double free
│   │   ├── glibc < 2.29 → direct tcache dup
│   │   ├── glibc 2.29-2.31 → corrupt tcache key first, or House of Botcake
│   │   └── glibc ≥ 2.32 → need heap leak for safe-linking encode
│   ├── Heap overflow (controlled size)
│   │   ├── Overwrite next chunk size → overlapping chunks → UAF
│   │   └── Overwrite fd directly → arbitrary allocation
│   ├── Off-by-one / off-by-null
│   │   ├── Null byte into size → House of Einherjar (backward consolidation)
│   │   └── One byte into size → shrink chunk, create overlap
│   └── Arbitrary write (from overlap or poisoned allocation)
│       ├── glibc < 2.34 → __malloc_hook / __free_hook → one_gadget
│       ├── glibc ≥ 2.34 → _IO_FILE vtable, exit_funcs, TLS_dtor_list
│       └── Partial RELRO → GOT overwrite
│
├── Need libc leak?
│   ├── Free chunk into unsortedbin (size > 0x410 or fill 7 tcache)
│   ├── Read fd/bk → main_arena offset → libc base
│   └── Alternative: stdout FILE partial overwrite for leak
│
└── Need heap leak? (glibc ≥ 2.32)
    ├── Read tcache fd from freed chunk
    └── Decode: real_addr = stored_fd ^ (chunk_addr >> 12)
```