CVE-2005-3649 in Moodle
Summary
by MITRE
jumpto.php in Moodle 1.5.2 allows remote attackers to redirect users to other sites via the jump parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/22/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-3649 affects Moodle version 1.5.2 and represents a classic open redirect vulnerability that enables malicious actors to manipulate user navigation through crafted URLs. This flaw exists within the jumpto.php script which processes user input through a jump parameter, allowing unauthorized redirection to external websites without proper validation or sanitization of the input data. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that fail to properly verify or sanitize the redirect target specified by attackers.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability operates as a server-side input validation flaw that permits arbitrary URL redirection without proper authorization checks. The jump parameter in jumpto.php accepts user-supplied input that directly influences the destination of HTTP redirects, creating an opportunity for attackers to craft malicious URLs that redirect users to phishing sites, malicious domains, or other harmful destinations. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-601 Open Redirect vulnerability classification, where applications fail to validate redirect targets and allow attackers to redirect users to untrusted domains. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input sanitization practices and lacks proper domain validation mechanisms that would normally restrict redirection to trusted origins.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple user inconvenience, as it creates a significant security risk for educational institutions relying on Moodle for learning management. Attackers can exploit this weakness to conduct phishing attacks by redirecting users to fake login pages that mimic legitimate Moodle interfaces, potentially capturing credentials and compromising user accounts. The vulnerability also enables social engineering campaigns where users might be tricked into visiting malicious websites under the guise of legitimate educational content. Additionally, the attack surface expands when considering that this vulnerability could be leveraged as part of larger attack chains, potentially serving as an initial access vector for more sophisticated threats. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566 Phishing techniques, specifically targeting user trust and manipulation through deceptive redirects that exploit the legitimate nature of the Moodle platform.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-3649 should prioritize immediate implementation of proper input validation and domain whitelisting mechanisms within the jumpto.php script. Organizations should enforce strict validation of redirect targets by implementing allowlists of trusted domains or implementing proper URL parsing to ensure that redirection only occurs within the application's own domain or explicitly authorized external domains. The most effective remediation involves modifying the jumpto.php script to validate the jump parameter against a predefined set of trusted URLs or implementing proper URL encoding and validation routines that prevent malicious redirection attempts. Security patches should be applied immediately to upgrade to Moodle versions that address this vulnerability, as the original 1.5.2 release contained no built-in protection against such open redirect scenarios. Organizations should also implement network-level monitoring to detect suspicious redirect patterns and establish proper input sanitization practices across all web applications to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of the learning management system infrastructure.