CVE-2015-5338 in Moodle
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in the lesson module in Moodle through 2.6.11, 2.7.x before 2.7.11, 2.8.x before 2.8.9, and 2.9.x before 2.9.3 allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of arbitrary users for requests to (1) mod/lesson/mediafile.php or (2) mod/lesson/view.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-5338 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within Moodle's lesson module that affects multiple version ranges including 2.6.11 and earlier, 2.7.x versions before 2.7.11, 2.8.x versions before 2.8.9, and 2.9.x versions before 2.9.3. This vulnerability resides in the lesson module's handling of user authentication tokens and session management, creating a significant security risk for educational institutions utilizing the Moodle learning management platform. The flaw specifically impacts two key endpoints: mod/lesson/mediafile.php and mod/lesson/view.php, which are fundamental components for lesson delivery and media file handling within the platform's educational modules.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of authenticity tokens when processing requests to the affected lesson module endpoints. Attackers can craft malicious web pages or exploit existing website vulnerabilities to trick authenticated users into executing unintended actions against the Moodle server. The vulnerability manifests when users navigate to malicious sites while maintaining an active Moodle session, allowing attackers to perform actions such as modifying lesson content, accessing restricted media files, or manipulating lesson view parameters without the user's knowledge or consent. This occurs because the lesson module fails to properly verify that requests originate from legitimate user interactions rather than forged requests submitted through third-party domains.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation, potentially enabling attackers to compromise entire lesson modules and associated user data. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to inject malicious content into lessons, alter grading parameters, or gain unauthorized access to media files that might contain sensitive educational materials or personal information. The authentication hijacking aspect means that even users with elevated privileges could have their sessions compromised, potentially allowing unauthorized access to course management features, student records, or administrative functions within the Moodle environment. This vulnerability particularly affects educational institutions where Moodle serves as the primary learning platform, as it could lead to widespread disruption of educational content and potential data breaches.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of Moodle that address the CSRF validation issues in the lesson module. The remediation strategy should encompass not only version upgrades but also the implementation of proper anti-CSRF token mechanisms throughout the platform's authentication flow. Security administrators should consider deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious request patterns targeting the vulnerable endpoints, while also implementing proper session management policies to reduce the window of opportunity for exploitation. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery weaknesses, and represents a significant concern within the ATT&CK framework under the privilege escalation and persistence techniques categories, as it allows attackers to maintain unauthorized access to authenticated sessions and potentially establish long-term presence within educational environments.