CVE-2008-3326 in Moodle
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in blog/edit.php in Moodle 1.6.x before 1.6.7 and 1.7.x before 1.7.5 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the etitle parameter (blog entry title).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/06/2024
This cross-site scripting vulnerability exists in Moodle's blog editing functionality where the etitle parameter in blog/edit.php fails to properly sanitize user input. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious scripts or HTML code that executes in the context of other users' browsers when they view the affected blog entries. This vulnerability affects Moodle versions 1.6.x prior to 1.6.7 and 1.7.x prior to 1.7.5, representing a significant security risk in educational platforms where users frequently interact with blog content. The vulnerability is classified as CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security that directly enables XSS attacks. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566.001 - Phishing via Social Engineering, as attackers can craft malicious blog entries to deceive users into executing harmful code. The technical implementation involves the application failing to validate or escape special characters in the etitle parameter before rendering it in HTML output, creating an injection point where attacker-controlled data flows directly into the browser without proper sanitization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. When users browse blog entries containing malicious payloads, their browsers execute the injected code in the context of their authenticated sessions, potentially allowing attackers to perform actions on their behalf. This risk is particularly severe in educational environments where Moodle platforms host sensitive student and faculty information, making the platform a valuable target for cybercriminals seeking to exploit user trust. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill, as attackers can simply create blog entries with malicious payloads that propagate to all users who view the affected content. The impact is amplified by the fact that blog entries often contain user-generated content that is trusted by other users, making social engineering aspects of the attack more effective. Organizations using vulnerable Moodle versions face potential compliance violations under data protection regulations such as GDPR, as unauthorized access to user sessions and data could constitute security breaches requiring notification to affected parties.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability encompass both immediate and long-term security measures to protect Moodle installations from exploitation. The most critical immediate action involves upgrading to patched versions of Moodle 1.6.7 or 1.7.5, which contain proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms for the etitle parameter. Administrators should implement comprehensive input validation that filters or escapes special characters including angle brackets, quotes, and script tags before processing user input. The application should employ proper output encoding techniques when rendering blog titles in HTML contexts to prevent script execution regardless of input source. Additional defensive measures include implementing content security policies that restrict script execution and monitoring for suspicious blog entry patterns that might indicate malicious activity. Security hardening practices should also include restricting blog creation privileges to trusted users only and implementing regular security audits of user-generated content. Organizations should also consider deploying web application firewalls to detect and block known XSS attack patterns targeting Moodle components. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices and input sanitization as outlined in OWASP Top 10 and ISO 27001 security standards, where proper validation and encoding of user input represents a fundamental requirement for preventing injection attacks. Regular security training for administrators and users about the risks of clicking on untrusted links or content is also recommended to reduce the effectiveness of social engineering aspects of such attacks.