CVE-2009-4671 in RoomPHPlanning
Summary
by MITRE
Login.php in RoomPHPlanning 1.6 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and obtain administrative access by setting the room_phplanning cookie to a value associated with the admin account.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-4671 resides within the RoomPHPlanning 1.6 web application, specifically in the login.php script which handles user authentication processes. This flaw represents a critical authentication bypass vulnerability that directly undermines the application's security model and allows unauthorized remote attackers to escalate privileges. The vulnerability manifests through improper session management and weak authentication mechanisms that fail to properly validate user credentials before granting administrative access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's reliance on a cookie-based authentication system where the room_phplanning cookie value directly correlates to user role privileges. Attackers can exploit this by simply setting the room_phplanning cookie to a value that maps to an administrative account within the system's internal user database. This approach bypasses all standard authentication checks and validation mechanisms that should normally occur during the login process, effectively allowing attackers to assume administrative privileges without providing valid credentials.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to organizations utilizing RoomPHPlanning 1.6 as it enables complete system compromise through a simple cookie manipulation technique. Remote attackers can gain unrestricted access to administrative functions, including but not limited to user management, system configuration changes, data modification, and potential data exfiltration. The impact extends beyond immediate unauthorized access as administrators may be unaware of the compromise until significant damage has occurred, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in production environments.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 related to valid accounts and credential access. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including proper session management protocols, secure cookie handling with appropriate flags such as HttpOnly and Secure, and implementation of robust authentication validation mechanisms. Additionally, the application should be updated to a patched version that properly validates user credentials and prevents direct privilege manipulation through cookie values. Network segmentation and monitoring for suspicious cookie manipulation activities should also be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts.