CVE-2024-43159 in LMS Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 11/01/2024
Missing Authorization vulnerability in Masteriyo Masteriyo - LMS allows Accessing Functionality Not Properly Constrained by ACLs.This issue affects Masteriyo - LMS: from n/a through 1.11.6.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/29/2025
The CVE-2024-43159 vulnerability represents a critical authorization flaw within the Masteriyo Learning Management System platform that undermines the fundamental access control mechanisms designed to protect sensitive functionality. This missing authorization issue manifests as a failure in properly constraining access controls, allowing unauthorized users to potentially access administrative features and restricted functionalities that should only be available to authenticated administrators or authorized personnel. The vulnerability exists within the Masteriyo LMS software ecosystem and affects all versions from the initial release through version 1.11.6, indicating a prolonged exposure window where systems could have been compromised without proper access restrictions.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate implementation of access control lists and authorization checks within the application's core functionality. When users interact with the system, proper validation should occur to ensure that only authorized individuals can execute specific administrative operations or access restricted content. However, in this case, the application fails to enforce these critical access controls, creating a pathway for attackers to bypass normal authorization procedures. This flaw aligns with CWE-285, which specifically addresses improper authorization within software systems, and represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege that should govern all access control implementations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to potentially enable full administrative control over the learning management platform. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could gain access to user data, course materials, grading information, and system configuration settings that are typically restricted to authorized administrators. This exposure creates significant risks for educational institutions and organizations relying on Masteriyo LMS for their training and learning operations. The vulnerability could facilitate data breaches, unauthorized modifications to course content, manipulation of user grades, and potential system compromise that could affect the integrity and availability of the entire learning platform.
Organizations utilizing Masteriyo LMS versions prior to 1.11.7 should immediately implement mitigations to address this critical authorization gap. The primary remediation involves updating to the latest available version where the authorization controls have been properly implemented and tested. Additionally, system administrators should conduct thorough access control reviews to ensure that existing user roles and permissions are correctly configured and that no unauthorized access has occurred. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect any suspicious activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level controls and additional authentication mechanisms as defensive measures while awaiting the official patch deployment. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper access control implementation and the potential consequences of inadequate authorization checks in enterprise software systems.
The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation and unauthorized access tactics, as it allows attackers to move beyond their initial access level to achieve higher privileges within the system. This represents a significant security risk that could enable attackers to establish persistent access to the learning management platform and potentially use it as a foothold for further attacks within the organization's network infrastructure. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning in educational environments where sensitive student data and institutional information are processed through these platforms, making proper access control implementation essential for maintaining data integrity and regulatory compliance.