CVE-2008-6124 in Moodle
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the hotpot_delete_selected_attempts function in report.php in the HotPot module in Moodle 1.6 before 1.6.7, 1.7 before 1.7.5, 1.8 before 1.8.6, and 1.9 before 1.9.2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via a crafted selected attempt.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/04/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2008-6124 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the HotPot module of Moodle learning management system. This issue affects multiple versions of Moodle including 1.6.x before 1.6.7, 1.7.x before 1.7.5, 1.8.x before 1.8.6, and 1.9.x before 1.9.2. The vulnerability specifically resides in the hotpot_delete_selected_attempts function within the report.php file, which processes user input without proper sanitization or validation. This flaw enables remote attackers to inject malicious SQL commands through a crafted selected attempt parameter, potentially compromising the entire database system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the HotPot module fails to properly escape or validate user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL queries. When a user submits a request containing malicious SQL code within the selected attempt parameter, the application processes this input directly within the database query execution context. This lack of input validation creates a direct pathway for attackers to manipulate the underlying database structure, execute unauthorized commands, and potentially gain elevated privileges within the system. The vulnerability is classified as CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection weaknesses in software applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation to encompass complete system compromise. Attackers could potentially extract sensitive user information, modify course content, delete critical database records, or even escalate privileges to gain administrative access to the Moodle platform. Given that Moodle is widely used in educational institutions, the implications of such an attack could be severe, potentially exposing student records, grades, and other confidential academic data. The remote nature of this vulnerability means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or local network credentials to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous in public network environments.
Organizations utilizing affected Moodle versions should immediately implement mitigation strategies to protect their systems from exploitation. The primary recommended action involves upgrading to patched versions of Moodle where the vulnerability has been addressed through proper input validation and sanitization measures. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious SQL injection attempts, though this represents a temporary workaround rather than a permanent solution. The remediation process should also include thorough security audits of all installed Moodle modules to identify potential similar vulnerabilities, as this particular flaw demonstrates how insufficient input validation can lead to critical system compromises. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190, which describes the use of SQL injection to gain unauthorized access to databases and extract sensitive information from web applications.