CVE-2022-2986 in Moodle
Summary
by MITRE • 10/06/2022
Enabling and disabling installed H5P libraries did not include the necessary token to prevent a CSRF risk.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/03/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-2986 represents a critical cross-site request forgery weakness within H5P library management systems. This flaw specifically affects the process of enabling and disabling installed H5P libraries, where the system fails to implement proper anti-CSRF token validation mechanisms. The absence of these protective measures creates a significant security risk that can be exploited by malicious actors to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the lack of token-based authentication verification during critical administrative operations. When users attempt to enable or disable H5P libraries through the web interface, the system should validate that the request originates from a legitimate source by requiring a unique, time-sensitive token. Without this validation, attackers can craft malicious requests that appear to come from authenticated users, potentially allowing them to manipulate library configurations without proper authorization. This flaw directly relates to CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities in web applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-2986 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can enable attackers to compromise the entire H5P library ecosystem within affected platforms. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could disable critical libraries, potentially breaking existing content, or enable malicious libraries that could execute arbitrary code or exfiltrate data. The implications are particularly severe in educational environments where H5P libraries are commonly used for interactive learning content, as these attacks could disrupt educational activities or compromise sensitive student data. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which covers command and script injection, as compromised library configurations could lead to code execution scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-2986 should focus on implementing robust token validation mechanisms across all administrative endpoints. Organizations should ensure that all state-changing operations require properly generated and validated anti-CSRF tokens that are tied to the user session and have appropriate expiration times. The fix typically involves modifying the web application code to generate unique tokens for each user session and validate them during library enable/disable operations. Security teams should also implement proper input validation and ensure that all administrative interfaces require explicit user confirmation for critical operations. Additionally, regular security assessments should verify that all web application endpoints properly implement CSRF protection mechanisms, and organizations should consider implementing additional monitoring for suspicious administrative activities that could indicate exploitation attempts.