CVE-2013-1836 in Moodle
Summary
by MITRE
Moodle 2.x through 2.1.10, 2.2.x before 2.2.8, 2.3.x before 2.3.5, and 2.4.x before 2.4.2 does not properly manage privileges for WebDAV repositories, which allows remote authenticated users to read, modify, or delete arbitrary site-wide repositories by leveraging certain read access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-1836 affects Moodle learning management systems across multiple version ranges, specifically targeting the WebDAV repository management functionality. This issue represents a critical privilege escalation flaw that undermines the security model of the platform by allowing authenticated users to bypass normal access controls for repository operations. The vulnerability exists within the core repository management system that handles WebDAV protocol interactions, which are commonly used for file storage and retrieval in educational environments. WebDAV repositories provide a standardized method for users to access and manipulate files stored on remote servers, making them integral components of Moodle's file management infrastructure.
The technical flaw stems from improper privilege validation within the WebDAV repository implementation where the system fails to adequately verify user permissions before executing repository operations. This misconfiguration allows authenticated users with read access to a course or site to escalate their privileges and perform unauthorized actions including reading, modifying, or deleting repository contents that should be restricted to administrators or specific authorized personnel. The vulnerability specifically impacts the repository management functions that handle WebDAV protocol communications, where the system does not properly enforce access control checks that should distinguish between different user roles and their respective permissions. This flaw essentially creates a backdoor mechanism through which users can access repository operations beyond their intended scope.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables malicious or compromised authenticated users to gain unauthorized access to sensitive repository data and potentially disrupt the entire learning management system. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to access confidential course materials, modify repository contents to inject malicious files, or delete critical repository data that could compromise the integrity of the entire Moodle installation. The scope of impact extends beyond individual courses to affect site-wide repository configurations, meaning that a single compromised account could potentially affect all repository operations across the entire platform. This vulnerability particularly threatens educational institutions that rely heavily on repository functionality for course content management and file sharing.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including updating to the patched versions of Moodle that address this privilege escalation issue. Organizations should also review and enforce strict access control policies for repository configurations, limiting repository access to only essential administrators and authorized personnel. Network segmentation and monitoring of repository access patterns can help detect unauthorized usage attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control issues, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and privilege escalation. Additional defensive measures include implementing role-based access controls, regular security audits of repository configurations, and ensuring that all users maintain least privilege access to repository functions. System administrators should also consider implementing automated patch management processes to ensure timely deployment of security updates across all Moodle installations.