CVE-2014-3550 in Moodle
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in admin/tool/task/scheduledtasks.php in Moodle 2.7.x before 2.7.1 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via vectors that trigger a crafted (1) error or (2) success message for a scheduled task.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3550 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in Moodle's administrative task scheduling component. This vulnerability specifically affects Moodle versions 2.7.x prior to 2.7.1 and resides within the admin/tool/task/scheduledtasks.php file. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code through manipulation of error and success messages associated with scheduled tasks, creating a significant security risk for educational institutions relying on this learning management system.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the scheduled tasks administration interface. When scheduled tasks encounter errors or complete successfully, the system displays messages to administrators that are not properly escaped or filtered before being rendered in the web browser. This allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of authenticated administrator sessions, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which classifies cross-site scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without proper validation or escaping mechanisms. The attack vector specifically targets the administrative interface where privileged users manage scheduled tasks, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by attackers who have gained access to lower privilege accounts or through other attack vectors that lead to administrative access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities within the compromised Moodle environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially modify or delete scheduled tasks, access sensitive user data, manipulate course content, or even escalate privileges to gain full administrative control. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in educational settings where Moodle systems often contain sensitive student information, grades, and personal data. The risk is amplified because administrators frequently interact with scheduled task interfaces, making the attack surface accessible through routine administrative operations. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for scripting and T1078.004 for valid accounts, as attackers would need to leverage legitimate administrative access points to exploit this flaw effectively.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to protect their Moodle installations. The primary remediation involves upgrading to Moodle version 2.7.1 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the XSS vulnerability in scheduled task handling. Additionally, administrators should implement input validation measures at the application level, ensuring that all user-supplied data in administrative interfaces undergoes proper sanitization before display. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth, though they should not be relied upon as the sole mitigation. Regular security audits of administrative interfaces should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities, and access controls should be strictly enforced to limit administrative privileges to only necessary personnel. Security awareness training for administrators can help prevent social engineering attacks that might lead to credential compromise, while monitoring systems should be implemented to detect unusual activity in scheduled task management interfaces. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing proper output encoding mechanisms in web applications to prevent XSS attacks that could lead to complete system compromise.