CVE-2007-2985 in Pheap
Summary
by MITRE
Pheap 2.0 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication by setting a pheap_login cookie value to the administrator s username, which can be used to (1) obtain sensitive information, including the administrator password, via settings.php or (2) upload and execute arbitrary PHP code via an update_doc action in edit.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-2985 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw in Pheap 2.0 content management system that fundamentally compromises the security model of the application. This issue stems from a poorly implemented session management mechanism that allows unauthorized users to escalate their privileges by simply manipulating a single cookie value. The vulnerability specifically targets the pheap_login cookie parameter which should normally require proper authentication credentials but instead accepts a direct username value that grants administrative access. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-287 which classifies improper authentication scenarios where the system fails to properly verify the identity of users attempting to access protected resources.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a straightforward manipulation of web application state where an attacker can set the pheap_login cookie to any administrative username they have discovered or guessed. This cookie value then bypasses all authentication checks and grants full administrative privileges to the attacker. The impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access as the vulnerability enables two distinct attack vectors that can be leveraged in combination. The first vector allows attackers to extract sensitive information including administrator passwords through the settings.php endpoint, while the second vector provides the capability to upload and execute arbitrary PHP code via the update_doc action in edit.php. This combination creates a complete compromise scenario where attackers can both escalate privileges and establish persistent backdoors within the target system.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability represents a severe risk to organizations using Pheap 2.0 as it effectively eliminates the security boundary that should protect administrative functions and sensitive data. The ability to obtain administrator passwords through settings.php creates a persistent threat where attackers can maintain long-term access to the system without needing to repeatedly exploit the authentication bypass. The arbitrary code execution capability through PHP file uploads provides attackers with the means to establish remote command execution capabilities, deploy additional malware, or create covert access points within the compromised environment. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers legitimate credentials use and T1505 which covers server-side injection techniques, demonstrating how this single flaw enables multiple attack phases within a typical compromise workflow.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper authentication controls and input validation mechanisms. Organizations should implement robust session management that does not rely on simple cookie value manipulation for privilege escalation. The fix should involve proper authentication verification before granting administrative access, implementing proper access controls on sensitive endpoints, and ensuring that cookie values cannot be used to directly bypass authentication mechanisms. Additionally, the application should validate that the user attempting to access administrative functions has legitimate credentials and proper authorization levels. Security practitioners should also implement network-level controls to detect and prevent cookie manipulation attempts, and establish proper monitoring for suspicious access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper authentication design and the potential catastrophic consequences when such mechanisms fail, making it essential for all organizations to conduct thorough security assessments of their web applications to identify similar flaws in their systems.