CVE-2025-1607 in Best Employee Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 02/24/2025
A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, has been found in SourceCodester Best Employee Management System 1.0. This issue affects some unknown processing of the file /admin/salary_slip.php. The manipulation of the argument id leads to authorization bypass. The attack may be initiated remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/15/2025
This vulnerability resides within the SourceCodester Best Employee Management System version 1.0, specifically targeting the administrative component responsible for salary slip processing. The flaw manifests in the /admin/salary_slip.php file where improper input validation allows an attacker to manipulate the id parameter, ultimately resulting in authorization bypass. This represents a critical security weakness that undermines the system's access control mechanisms and potentially exposes sensitive employee compensation data to unauthorized parties.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic authorization bypass flaw that can be categorized under CWE-285, which deals with improper authorization in authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of user input parameters, particularly the id argument that should normally be restricted to authorized administrative users. When an attacker manipulates this parameter, they can potentially access salary information belonging to other employees without proper authentication credentials, effectively circumventing the intended access controls.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations using this employee management system. The remote exploit capability means that attackers can potentially compromise the system from external networks without requiring physical access or legitimate credentials. The disclosure of the exploit to the public increases the likelihood of widespread abuse, as malicious actors can immediately implement attacks against vulnerable installations. The lack of vendor response to early disclosure attempts compounds the risk, leaving organizations without official patches or mitigation guidance during an active threat period.
The attack vector for this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and T1566 which covers phishing with malicious attachments or links. Remote exploitation capabilities make this particularly dangerous in networked environments where the administrative interface might be accessible from external networks. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure, while also monitoring for suspicious access patterns in their employee management systems.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate implementation of input validation controls on all parameters within the salary slip processing functionality, particularly the id argument. Organizations should also enforce proper access controls and authentication checks before allowing any administrative operations. The implementation of web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help identify and block exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of all employee management systems to identify similar vulnerabilities and ensure proper patch management processes are in place to address such issues promptly. The vulnerability's classification as problematic by the reporting authorities indicates that it requires immediate attention and remediation to prevent potential data breaches and unauthorized access to sensitive employee compensation information.