CVE-2020-9282 in Mahara
Summary
by MITRE
In Mahara 18.10 before 18.10.5, 19.04 before 19.04.4, and 19.10 before 19.10.2, certain personal information is discoverable inspecting network responses on the 'Edit access' screen when sharing portfolios.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/10/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-9282 represents a critical information disclosure issue within the Mahara learning management system that affects multiple version ranges including 18.10 before 18.10.5, 19.04 before 19.04.4, and 19.10 before 19.10.2. This security flaw specifically manifests in the 'Edit access' screen functionality where users can share portfolios, creating an avenue for unauthorized discovery of personal information through network traffic inspection. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly protect sensitive data during transmission and rendering processes. Attackers can exploit this weakness by monitoring network responses to extract personal information that should remain confidential, potentially compromising user privacy and data integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of user data within the portfolio sharing interface where sensitive personal information becomes exposed through HTTP response payloads. When users navigate to the 'Edit access' screen to manage portfolio sharing permissions, the system fails to adequately mask or encrypt personal details in the network communications. This flaw falls under the category of information disclosure vulnerabilities and aligns with CWE-200, which specifically addresses "Information Exposure" in software systems. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the network level where attackers can intercept and analyze responses without requiring elevated privileges or complex exploitation techniques. The exposure occurs during the normal operational flow of the application when users attempt to manage sharing access for their portfolios.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-9282 extends beyond simple privacy concerns to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks including identity theft, social engineering campaigns, and unauthorized data access. When personal information is discoverable through network inspection, it creates opportunities for attackers to gather intelligence about users and their portfolio contents, which could be used to target specific individuals or groups within educational institutions. This vulnerability directly violates security principles of least privilege and data protection, as it allows unauthorized parties to access sensitive information that should only be visible to authorized users. The exposure of personal details through network responses creates a persistent risk that can be exploited over time, particularly in environments where network traffic is monitored or intercepted. Organizations using affected Mahara versions face potential regulatory compliance issues and increased risk of data breaches, as the vulnerability enables unauthorized access to personal information without requiring sophisticated attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patch application to the affected Mahara versions, with security teams implementing network monitoring to detect and prevent unauthorized access attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as network traffic encryption, access controls, and regular security assessments to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging. The remediation process should include thorough testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce regressions in functionality while maintaining the integrity of the portfolio sharing mechanisms. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify similar information disclosure issues within their Mahara installations and other applications. The implementation of proper input validation, output encoding, and secure communication protocols will help prevent future occurrences of this type of vulnerability while aligning with industry standards and best practices for secure software development. Organizations should also consider implementing security awareness training for administrators to recognize and respond to potential security incidents related to information disclosure vulnerabilities.