CVE-2014-0129 in Moodle
Summary
by MITRE
badges/mybadges.php in Moodle 2.5.x before 2.5.5 and 2.6.x before 2.6.2 does not properly track the user to whom a badge was issued, which allows remote authenticated users to modify the visibility of an arbitrary badge via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/08/2026
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-0129 affects Moodle learning management systems version 2.5.x prior to 2.5.5 and 2.6.x prior to 2.6.2, specifically within the badges/mybadges.php component. This issue represents a critical access control flaw that undermines the integrity of the badge issuance and management system. The vulnerability stems from improper user tracking mechanisms that fail to maintain accurate associations between badge recipients and their respective badge instances, creating a pathway for unauthorized modification of badge visibility settings.
The technical flaw manifests in the lack of proper authentication and authorization checks within the badge management interface. When users access the mybadges.php script, the system fails to validate whether the requesting user has legitimate authorization to modify a specific badge's visibility settings. This oversight allows authenticated attackers to manipulate badge visibility parameters through unspecified vectors that likely involve parameter tampering or session manipulation techniques. The vulnerability operates at the application logic level, specifically within the badge assignment and visibility management components, where user permissions should be rigorously enforced.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables remote authenticated users to gain unauthorized access to badge management functionality that should be restricted to legitimate badge recipients or administrators. Attackers can potentially make badges visible or invisible to other users, manipulate badge display settings, or even hide badges that belong to other users. This compromise undermines the trust and integrity of the badge system, which is often used for recognizing achievements, tracking progress, and maintaining academic credentials within educational institutions. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of badge-related data within the Moodle platform, potentially leading to unauthorized information disclosure or manipulation of academic records.
The security implications extend beyond simple privilege escalation, as this vulnerability can be exploited to disrupt the badge-based recognition system that many educational institutions rely upon for student engagement and achievement tracking. According to CWE classification, this represents a weakness in authorization mechanisms where the system fails to properly validate user permissions before allowing modifications to protected resources. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation through unauthorized access to system resources. Organizations using affected Moodle versions should immediately implement security patches, review user access controls, and monitor for unauthorized badge modifications. Additionally, implementing proper input validation, session management, and access control checks can help prevent similar vulnerabilities in future deployments.
The remediation approach requires immediate patching of affected Moodle installations to versions 2.5.5 or 2.6.2, which contain the necessary fixes for the authorization flaw. System administrators should also conduct thorough security assessments of their Moodle environments, verify user permissions, and implement additional monitoring controls to detect unauthorized badge modifications. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation, access controls, and regular security audits to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in other components of their learning management systems.