CVE-2023-47647 in BadgeOS Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/02/2025
Missing Authorization vulnerability in LearningTimes BadgeOS allows Exploiting Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security Levels.This issue affects BadgeOS: from n/a through 3.7.1.6.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-47647 represents a critical missing authorization flaw within the LearningTimes BadgeOS platform that fundamentally undermines access control mechanisms. This security weakness manifests as an incorrectly configured access control security level that permits unauthorized users to exploit functionality that should be restricted to authorized personnel only. The vulnerability exists across all versions of BadgeOS from the initial release through version 3.7.1.6, indicating a long-standing issue that has persisted through multiple iterations of the software. The affected system operates within the educational technology sector, specifically targeting badge-based learning platforms where users may have varying levels of access rights and permissions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper implementation of authorization checks within the BadgeOS application framework. When users attempt to access certain administrative or privileged functions, the system fails to properly validate whether the requesting user possesses the necessary permissions to perform these actions. This misconfiguration allows attackers to bypass normal access controls and potentially manipulate badge configurations, user permissions, or other sensitive administrative functions. The flaw operates at the application layer where authentication and authorization mechanisms should enforce strict access boundaries, but instead permits unauthorized access to protected resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it creates potential pathways for data manipulation, privilege escalation, and unauthorized modifications to the learning platform's core functionality. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could potentially alter badge criteria, modify user permissions, or gain access to sensitive educational data that should remain restricted to authorized administrators. The consequences could include disruption of legitimate learning activities, compromise of user privacy, and potential exposure of institutional data. This vulnerability particularly affects educational institutions that rely on BadgeOS for managing student achievements, badges, and learning progress tracking, where unauthorized modifications could significantly impact academic integrity and data security.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including thorough access control reviews, implementation of proper authorization checks, and deployment of security patches if available. The issue aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization within software systems, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege that should govern all access control implementations. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and could enable adversaries to move laterally within the educational platform environment. Security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of all access control points within the BadgeOS implementation and consider implementing additional monitoring mechanisms to detect unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper access control configuration in educational technology platforms where sensitive user data and learning progress information are managed.