CVE-2009-2170 in Mahara
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Mahara 1.0 before 1.0.12 and 1.1 before 1.1.5 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/21/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-2170 represents a critical security flaw in the Mahara learning management system that affects versions prior to 1.0.12 and 1.1.5. This issue manifests as multiple cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that enable remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content into the application. The affected Mahara versions were widely deployed in educational institutions and organizations seeking robust online learning platforms, making this vulnerability particularly concerning from a security perspective.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of cross-site scripting attacks, which are classified as CWE-79 in the Common Weakness Enumeration system. These vulnerabilities occur when the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user input before rendering it in web pages, creating opportunities for attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers. The unspecified attack vectors suggest that multiple entry points within the Mahara application were susceptible to this type of injection attack, potentially including form fields, URL parameters, or other user-controllable inputs.
From an operational impact standpoint, the consequences of this vulnerability extend beyond simple data theft or defacement. Remote attackers could leverage these XSS flaws to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive authentication credentials, or redirect users to malicious websites. The nature of learning management systems means that these platforms often contain sensitive educational data, personal information, and institutional resources that would be valuable targets for cybercriminals. The vulnerability's presence in widely-used versions of Mahara meant that numerous educational institutions were potentially exposed to unauthorized access and data compromise.
The attack surface for this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which focuses on credential access through spearphishing with a malicious attachment or link. Attackers could craft malicious payloads that would execute when legitimate users accessed the vulnerable Mahara system, potentially leading to complete account compromise. Organizations using affected versions faced significant risk of unauthorized access to student records, course materials, and administrative functions. The remediation process required immediate patching to version 1.0.12 or 1.1.5 respectively, highlighting the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches in educational technology environments.
Security practitioners should note that this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive educational data. The vulnerability serves as a reminder that even educational platforms must adhere to robust security practices to protect against common web application attacks. Organizations should implement comprehensive security monitoring and regular vulnerability assessments to identify and remediate similar issues across their technology infrastructure. The incident underscores the necessity of maintaining security awareness and proactive patch management strategies in educational technology environments where user data protection is paramount.