CVE-2013-3600 in Coursemill Learning Management System
Summary
by MITRE
Coursemill Learning Management System (LMS) 6.6 allows remote authenticated users to gain privileges via a modified userid value to unspecified functions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/15/2024
The Coursemill Learning Management System version 6.6 contains a critical privilege escalation vulnerability that affects remote authenticated users. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and improper access control mechanisms within the system's user management functions. The flaw specifically manifests when users manipulate the userid parameter in unspecified functions, allowing them to elevate their privileges and gain unauthorized access to administrative features or resources beyond their normal permissions. The vulnerability represents a classic case of insecure direct object reference or improper access control, where the system fails to properly verify user authorization before executing privileged operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of the userid parameter within the LMS's backend processing functions. When authenticated users submit modified userid values to certain endpoints, the system processes these requests without adequate validation of the user's authorization level or the legitimacy of the requested privilege escalation. This weakness creates an attack vector where malicious users can potentially impersonate administrators or access restricted functionality by simply altering the userid parameter in their requests. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authentication to exploit, meaning that any user with valid login credentials can attempt to escalate their privileges.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on Coursemill LMS for educational content management and user administration. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain full administrative control over the learning management system, potentially leading to data breaches, content manipulation, user account compromise, and unauthorized access to sensitive educational information. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it could enable attackers to modify course materials, manipulate user grades, access confidential student data, or even disable system functionality. Organizations may face regulatory compliance issues and reputational damage if such vulnerabilities are exploited in environments handling personal or educational data.
Security practitioners should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability. The primary recommendation involves implementing proper input validation and access control checks throughout the application's user management functions. This includes validating that users can only access resources associated with their own accounts or those they are authorized to manage, implementing proper session management controls, and ensuring that privilege escalation requests undergo rigorous verification processes. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious parameter modifications, conduct regular security code reviews focusing on user authentication and authorization flows, and maintain up-to-date system patches. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-285 (Improper Authorization) and may be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1484 (Domain Policy Modification) when exploited for privilege escalation and system compromise.