CVE-2005-1787 in phpStat
Summary
by MITRE
setup.php in phpStat 1.5 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and gain administrator privileges by setting the $check variable.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1787 resides within the setup.php file of phpStat version 1.5, representing a critical authentication bypass flaw that enables remote attackers to escalate privileges without proper authorization. This issue stems from a design flaw in the application's administrative access control mechanism where the $check variable can be manipulated by remote adversaries to circumvent the standard authentication procedures. The vulnerability specifically targets the phpStat application's configuration setup process, which is intended to establish administrative access but instead becomes a vector for unauthorized privilege escalation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of a critical variable within the setup.php script that governs authentication checks. When the $check variable is improperly handled or directly set by an attacker, it allows bypassing the normal administrative login sequence that should require valid credentials. This flaw operates at the application logic level and demonstrates poor input validation and access control implementation. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization within software systems, and represents a classic case of insecure direct object reference or improper access control where the application fails to properly validate user credentials or session state.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access as it provides attackers with full administrative privileges within the phpStat application. Once exploited, attackers can modify application configurations, manipulate statistical data, access sensitive information, and potentially use the compromised system as a foothold for further attacks within the network. The remote nature of this exploit means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or local network presence, making it particularly dangerous for web-hosted applications. This vulnerability could enable attackers to conduct persistent surveillance through the statistical monitoring capabilities of phpStat or modify data to create false reporting metrics that could mislead administrators and stakeholders.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate code-level fixes that properly validate the $check variable and implement robust authentication checks within the setup.php script. The recommended approach includes implementing proper input sanitization, removing any direct variable manipulation capabilities, and ensuring that administrative access requires valid authentication tokens or credentials. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level protections such as firewall rules to restrict access to administrative interfaces, employing web application firewalls to detect and block exploitation attempts, and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices and implementing proper access control mechanisms as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security principles and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting through application-level attacks.