CVE-2009-2149 in Campus Virtual-LMS
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Campus Virtual-LMS allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) courseid parameter to enrolments/step1.php, or the (2) search or (3) siteid parameter to files/shared_list.php.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-2149 represents a critical security flaw within the Campus Virtual-LMS platform that exposes users to significant cross-site scripting attacks. This vulnerability affects multiple components of the learning management system and demonstrates poor input validation practices that enable malicious actors to execute arbitrary code within the context of authenticated user sessions. The affected parameters include courseid in enrolments/step1.php and search/siteid in files/shared_list.php, creating multiple attack vectors that could compromise the entire system. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous in educational environments where sensitive user data and academic content are stored, as they can lead to unauthorized access and data exfiltration.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input parameters before they are processed and rendered within web pages. When the application fails to properly validate or escape special characters in the courseid, search, or siteid parameters, it creates an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the browser context of other users. This type of flaw directly maps to CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as the injection of malicious code into web applications. The vulnerability allows attackers to bypass security measures that would normally protect against such attacks, as the application treats user input as trusted content rather than potentially harmful data that requires proper encoding or filtering.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive information, manipulate course enrollments, or even gain administrative privileges within the LMS environment. Attackers could potentially use these XSS vulnerabilities to redirect users to malicious sites, steal session cookies, or modify the content displayed to authenticated users. The consequences are particularly severe in educational institutions where the LMS contains personal information, grades, course materials, and communication data. From an operational security perspective, this vulnerability undermines the integrity of the entire learning platform and could lead to compliance violations under data protection regulations such as GDPR or FERPA. The attack surface is further expanded when considering that authenticated users may be tricked into executing malicious scripts through social engineering tactics.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The recommended approach includes implementing proper parameter sanitization using established security libraries and frameworks that automatically escape special characters in user input. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection. Regular security testing including automated scanning and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the LMS. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and session management practices can limit the damage that could occur if an attacker successfully exploits these vulnerabilities. The remediation process should follow established security protocols such as those defined in the OWASP Top Ten project, which specifically addresses XSS vulnerabilities in web applications. System administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads attempting to exploit these known vulnerabilities, while maintaining detailed logging to monitor for potential exploitation attempts.