CVE-2016-10766 in edx-platform
Summary
by MITRE
edx-platform before 2016-06-06 allows CSRF.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/13/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10766 affects the edx-platform learning management system prior to version 2016-06-06, representing a critical cross-site request forgery flaw that compromises the platform's security integrity. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-352 category, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery attacks, where an attacker can trick authenticated users into executing unwanted actions on a web application. The edx-platform serves as a widely-used open-source learning management system that hosts educational content and manages user interactions, making it a prime target for security exploitation.
The technical flaw manifests through the absence of proper CSRF protection mechanisms within the platform's web application architecture. This allows malicious actors to craft specially crafted requests that, when executed by authenticated users, can perform unauthorized actions such as modifying user accounts, changing course settings, or executing administrative functions without the user's knowledge or consent. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of request origins and the lack of anti-CSRF tokens in critical endpoints, enabling attackers to leverage the trust relationship between the user's browser and the edx-platform application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can lead to complete compromise of user accounts and administrative privileges within the educational platform. Attackers could potentially modify course content, manipulate grades, access sensitive user information, or even gain control over the entire learning management system. This represents a significant risk for educational institutions relying on edx-platform for their online learning operations, as it could result in data integrity breaches, unauthorized access to student records, and potential disruption of educational services. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations that depend on the platform for managing student enrollments, course materials, and academic records.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-10766 require immediate implementation of proper CSRF protection measures including the deployment of anti-CSRF tokens in all state-changing requests, validation of request origins through strict referer headers, and implementation of SameSite cookie attributes. Organizations should upgrade to edx-platform version 2016-06-06 or later, which includes the necessary security patches addressing this vulnerability. Additionally, security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of all web application endpoints to identify and remediate similar CSRF vulnerabilities, implement proper input validation mechanisms, and establish monitoring protocols to detect suspicious activities. The remediation process should align with security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 requirements for web application security, ensuring that CSRF protection becomes an integral part of the platform's security architecture.