CVE-2011-4285 in Moodle
Summary
by MITRE
The default configuration of Moodle 2.0.x before 2.0.2 has an incorrect setting of the moodle/course:delete capability, which allows remote authenticated users to delete arbitrary courses by leveraging the teacher role.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/06/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2011-4285 represents a critical access control flaw within the Moodle learning management system version 2.0.x prior to 2.0.2. This issue stems from an improper configuration of the moodle/course:delete capability, which fundamentally undermines the security model of the platform. The vulnerability affects the core authorization mechanism that governs user permissions within the Moodle environment, specifically targeting the course deletion functionality that should be restricted to authorized administrators.
The technical flaw manifests through the incorrect assignment of the course deletion capability within the Moodle permission system. In the affected versions, users holding the teacher role were inadvertently granted the ability to delete courses without proper authorization. This misconfiguration occurs at the capability level where the moodle/course:delete permission is not properly restricted to administrators or users with explicit deletion privileges. The vulnerability exploits the default role assignments that are automatically configured when Moodle is installed, meaning that even standard teacher accounts could leverage this privilege to remove courses from the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized course deletion, as it represents a fundamental breakdown in the principle of least privilege that is essential for educational platform security. Remote authenticated users who can log into the system with teacher credentials can execute destructive operations that compromise the integrity of the learning environment. This allows attackers to remove entire course structures, potentially deleting valuable educational content, student work, and course materials that could take significant time and effort to recreate. The implications are particularly severe in institutional settings where teachers may have broad access to course management functions but should not possess destructive capabilities.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control, and demonstrates how misconfigured permissions can lead to privilege escalation scenarios. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this under privilege escalation techniques where adversaries leverage misconfigured system permissions to gain unauthorized access to resources. The vulnerability also reflects poor security hygiene in the default installation configuration, where security settings are not properly hardened during the initial setup process. Organizations implementing Moodle should consider this as part of their broader security posture assessment, particularly in environments where multiple user roles exist and proper segregation of duties is required. The recommended remediation involves updating to Moodle version 2.0.2 or later, where the capability configuration has been corrected to properly restrict course deletion privileges to authorized administrators only, ensuring that teacher roles cannot perform destructive operations without explicit authorization.