CVE-2012-1155 in Moodle
Summary
by MITRE
Moodle has a database activity export permission issue where the export function of the database activity module exports all entries even those from groups the user does not belong to
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/15/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2012-1155 represents a critical access control flaw within the Moodle learning management system's database activity module. This issue manifests as an insufficient authorization check during the export functionality, where users can potentially access and export database entries that should be restricted to specific group memberships. The flaw exists in the permission validation logic that governs data export operations within the database activity component, creating a scenario where unauthorized data exposure occurs. This vulnerability specifically affects Moodle versions prior to 2.0.4 and 1.9.10, making it a significant concern for educational institutions relying on the platform for managing sensitive academic data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from a failure in the group membership validation process during database export operations. When users attempt to export database entries through the database activity module, the system does not properly verify whether the exporting user belongs to the same groups as the entries they are attempting to access. This misconfiguration allows users to bypass normal group restrictions and retrieve entries from groups they are not authorized to view. The flaw operates at the application logic level, where the export function fails to apply the same group-based access controls that normally govern database entry viewing. According to CWE-284, this represents an improper access control vulnerability where insufficient authorization checks are implemented, allowing users to access resources beyond their intended permissions. The vulnerability essentially creates a data leakage scenario where sensitive information can be extracted by users who lack proper group membership.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can lead to serious privacy and compliance violations within educational environments. Academic institutions using Moodle may inadvertently expose student records, research data, or other sensitive information that should be restricted to specific groups or cohorts. This flaw particularly affects scenarios where database activities contain confidential information such as student grades, research findings, or personal data that should only be accessible to authorized group members. The vulnerability can be exploited by any user with access to the database activity module, regardless of their actual group affiliations, potentially leading to unauthorized data collection and analysis. From an attacker's perspective, this represents a privilege escalation vulnerability that allows for unauthorized data access, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 for Valid Accounts and T1005 for Data from Local Systems. The impact is particularly severe in environments where Moodle is used for research projects, student assessments, or confidential academic activities where group-based data access is essential for maintaining academic integrity and privacy standards.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to Moodle versions 2.0.4 or 1.9.10 and later, which contain the necessary patches for this vulnerability. System administrators should also review and verify group membership configurations to ensure that proper access controls are in place. Additional protective measures include implementing network-level access controls, monitoring export activities for unusual patterns, and conducting regular security audits of database activity configurations. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and access control implementation in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive educational data. Security teams should also consider implementing automated scanning tools to identify similar permission flaws in other Moodle modules and third-party plugins that may exhibit similar access control issues. Organizations should establish clear procedures for managing group-based access controls and regularly review user permissions to prevent unauthorized access to restricted data sets.