CVE-2008-0381 in Mahara
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Mahara before 0.9.1 has unknown impact and remote attack vectors, probably related to cross-site scripting (XSS) in uploaded files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-0381 affects Mahara version 0.9.0 and earlier, representing a significant security weakness in the open-source learning management system. This unspecified vulnerability manifests in the form of potential cross-site scripting attacks that could be exploited through uploaded files, creating a dangerous attack surface that allows malicious actors to compromise user sessions and execute unauthorized actions within the application environment.
The technical flaw resides in the improper handling of file uploads within Mahara's codebase, where uploaded files are not adequately sanitized or validated before being processed or displayed to users. This weakness creates a pathway for attackers to upload malicious content that contains XSS payloads, which can then be executed when other users view or interact with these files. The vulnerability's classification as a cross-site scripting issue indicates that the attack vector likely involves injecting malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or unauthorized administrative actions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk to organizations using Mahara for educational content management and collaboration. The remote attack vectors suggest that adversaries could exploit this weakness without requiring physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous for institutions that rely on web-based access to their learning management platforms. The unspecified impact highlights the potential for severe consequences including unauthorized access to user accounts, data manipulation, and possible complete system compromise through session hijacking techniques that are commonly associated with XSS vulnerabilities.
The vulnerability's potential for remote exploitation makes it particularly concerning for security practitioners, as it allows attackers to target users through web browsers without requiring local system access. This characteristic aligns with the ATT&CK framework's web application exploitation techniques, where adversaries leverage insecure input handling to execute malicious code. The vulnerability also relates to CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, emphasizing the importance of proper input validation and output encoding in web security implementations. Organizations should immediately implement security patches and updates to address this vulnerability, while also reviewing their file upload policies and implementing additional security controls such as content type validation, file extension filtering, and proper sanitization of uploaded content to prevent similar issues in other applications.