CVE-2014-7836 in Moodle
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in the LTI module in Moodle through 2.4.11, 2.5.x before 2.5.9, 2.6.x before 2.6.6, and 2.7.x before 2.7.3 allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of arbitrary users for a (1) mod/lti/request_tool.php or (2) mod/lti/instructor_edit_tool_type.php request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/04/2022
The CVE-2014-7836 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within Moodle's Learning Tools Interoperability module, affecting versions through 2.4.11, 2.5.x prior to 2.5.9, 2.6.x prior to 2.6.6, and 2.7.x prior to 2.7.3. This vulnerability resides in the LTI module's implementation and allows remote attackers to manipulate authenticated sessions by tricking users into executing unintended actions. The flaw specifically targets two key endpoints: mod/lti/request_tool.php and mod/lti/instructor_edit_tool_type.php, both of which handle critical LTI tool integration functionalities. The vulnerability stems from inadequate CSRF protection mechanisms that fail to validate the authenticity of requests originating from legitimate users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the absence of proper anti-CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms within the LTI module's request handling. When users access these endpoints, the application should verify that requests originate from authenticated users and are not being forged by malicious actors. However, the vulnerable implementation does not enforce strict validation of request sources or request integrity, allowing attackers to construct malicious requests that appear legitimate to the Moodle application. The flaw operates at the application layer and leverages the trust relationship between the Moodle platform and its users, effectively enabling unauthorized actions through session hijacking techniques.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it allows attackers to manipulate LTI tool configurations and potentially gain unauthorized access to external learning tools. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to modify tool configurations, add malicious tools, or redirect users to phishing sites while maintaining the appearance of legitimate Moodle interactions. The consequences include potential data compromise, unauthorized tool integrations, and the ability to perform administrative actions through the authenticated user's session. This vulnerability directly aligns with CWE-352, which categorizes cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities, and represents a significant threat to the integrity of Moodle's tool integration ecosystem.
Organizations utilizing affected Moodle versions face substantial security risks as this vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including phishing emails, compromised websites, or social engineering campaigns. The attack requires minimal technical expertise and can be automated, making it particularly dangerous for educational institutions. The vulnerability demonstrates a critical failure in the principle of least privilege and proper session management, as legitimate users' sessions can be hijacked without proper authentication verification. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability operates in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the privilege escalation and credential access categories, specifically targeting the 'Web Application Attack Surface' and 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation' techniques.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-7836 require immediate patching of affected Moodle installations to the latest available versions that contain proper CSRF protection mechanisms. Organizations should implement additional network-level protections including web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious request patterns. The implementation of proper anti-CSRF token mechanisms should be enforced across all Moodle modules, particularly those handling external tool integrations. Security teams must conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of all LTI tool configurations and implement monitoring for unauthorized tool modifications. Additionally, user education regarding suspicious requests and phishing attempts should be enhanced, as the vulnerability can be effectively exploited through social engineering approaches that target administrators and instructors who frequently interact with LTI tool configurations.