CVE-2020-37115 in GUnet OpenEclass
Summary
by MITRE • 02/03/2026
GUnet OpenEclass 1.7.3 stores user credentials in plaintext, allowing administrators to view all registered users' usernames and passwords without encryption. This vulnerability exposes sensitive information and increases the risk of credential theft and unauthorized access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/11/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-37115 affects GUnet OpenEclass version 1.7.3, a widely used open source learning management system designed for educational institutions. This critical security flaw resides in the platform's credential storage mechanism, where user authentication data is persistently maintained in an unencrypted format within the system's database. The vulnerability represents a fundamental failure in data protection practices that directly violates established security principles and industry standards for handling sensitive user information. Organizations utilizing this learning management system face significant exposure risks due to the absence of proper cryptographic protection for stored credentials.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to employ industry-standard encryption mechanisms for password storage. When users register within the OpenEclass platform, their authentication credentials are written to the database without any form of hashing or encryption, creating a plaintext repository of user login information. This design flaw allows any individual with administrative access to the system to directly retrieve and view all stored usernames and passwords in their original, readable format. The vulnerability specifically manifests as a failure to implement proper password hashing algorithms such as bcrypt, scrypt, or PBKDF2, which are fundamental requirements for secure credential storage as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST guidelines.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple credential exposure, creating a comprehensive attack surface that enables multiple threat vectors. An attacker who gains administrative privileges or accesses the database directly can immediately leverage the plaintext credentials to compromise user accounts across the entire platform. This vulnerability significantly increases the risk of credential theft, account takeover, and unauthorized access to sensitive educational data. The exposure affects all registered users within the system, potentially compromising thousands of accounts simultaneously and creating cascading security failures throughout the educational institution's digital infrastructure. This weakness directly aligns with attack techniques categorized under the MITRE ATT&CK framework within the credential access and privilege escalation domains, specifically targeting the 'T1078' technique for valid accounts and 'T1566' for credential harvesting.
The security implications of CVE-2020-37115 are particularly severe given that the OpenEclass platform serves educational institutions where user data often includes sensitive personal information, academic records, and communication details. The vulnerability creates an environment where attackers can systematically harvest credentials from multiple users, enabling them to impersonate legitimate users and access restricted content, course materials, and personal communications. This exposure creates a persistent threat that remains active until the underlying code is patched or the system is reconfigured with proper encryption mechanisms. The vulnerability also violates fundamental security compliance requirements and could result in regulatory penalties under data protection frameworks such as GDPR, HIPAA, or similar regional privacy regulations that mandate appropriate technical safeguards for sensitive data protection.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies including database encryption, proper password hashing implementation, and access control reviews. The recommended remediation approach involves upgrading to a patched version of the OpenEclass platform, implementing proper cryptographic hashing for all stored credentials, and establishing robust access controls to limit administrative privileges. Security teams should conduct thorough audits of all stored data, implement database encryption where plaintext storage exists, and establish monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized access attempts. Additionally, the implementation of multi-factor authentication and regular security assessments can help reduce the overall risk exposure while the system is being patched. This vulnerability underscores the critical importance of secure coding practices and proper data protection mechanisms as outlined in the CWE catalog under weakness categories related to improper credential handling and insufficient cryptographic protection.