CVE-2013-2080 in Moodle
Summary
by MITRE
The core_grade component in Moodle through 2.2.10, 2.3.x before 2.3.7, and 2.4.x before 2.4.4 does not properly consider the existence of hidden grades, which allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive information by leveraging the student role and reading the Gradebook Overview report.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2080 affects the core_grade component within Moodle learning management systems across multiple versions including 2.2.10 and earlier, 2.3.x versions before 2.3.7, and 2.4.x versions before 2.4.4. This security flaw represents a significant information disclosure issue that undermines the integrity of grade reporting mechanisms within educational platforms. The vulnerability specifically targets the Gradebook Overview report functionality, which is a critical component for both instructors and students to access academic performance data.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of hidden grade elements within Moodle's grade management system. When users access the Gradebook Overview report, the system fails to adequately filter or restrict visibility of grades that have been explicitly marked as hidden by instructors. This design flaw allows authenticated users with student privileges to bypass normal access controls and view grade information that should remain confidential. The vulnerability manifests when the system processes grade data without properly verifying whether individual grade items are hidden from specific user roles, creating a pathway for unauthorized information exposure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it fundamentally compromises the privacy and confidentiality of student academic records within educational institutions. Remote authenticated users can exploit this weakness to gather sensitive information about their peers' performance, potentially leading to academic dishonesty, social manipulation, or targeted harassment. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of Moodle's grading system, which is essential for maintaining academic integrity and protecting student privacy in educational environments. This issue particularly impacts institutions that rely heavily on Moodle for course management and grade reporting, as it creates potential security risks that could undermine trust in the platform's data protection capabilities.
Security researchers have classified this vulnerability under CWE-200, which specifically addresses improper information exposure, and it aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for Data from Information Repositories. The flaw represents a privilege escalation issue within the context of role-based access control, where the system fails to properly enforce access restrictions for different user roles. Organizations implementing Moodle should immediately apply the relevant security patches and updates provided by the Moodle development team to address this vulnerability. Additionally, administrators should review their gradebook configurations to ensure proper hidden grade settings are implemented and regularly audit access controls to prevent unauthorized viewing of sensitive academic data. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to verify that grade visibility settings function correctly and that hidden grades remain properly restricted to authorized users only.