CVE-2026-102582 in Moodle
Summary
by MITRE • 09/30/2026
A flaw was found in Moodle. The manual enrolment management page did not properly check whether the manual enrolment plugin was disabled, allowing users with enrolment permissions to access the page directly by navigating to its URL. Consequently, an authorized user could manage manual enrolments even after an administrator disabled the feature in the user interface.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2026
The vulnerability identified within Moodle represents a critical logic flaw in the access control mechanisms governing the manual enrollment management interface. This issue stems from insufficient server-side validation of plugin states during request processing for specific administrative endpoints. While the graphical user interface correctly respects administrator settings by hiding or disabling controls when the manual enrolment feature is turned off, the underlying API endpoint and page handler fail to perform a corresponding check on the status of the manual enrollment plugin before rendering content or executing actions. This discrepancy creates an authorization bypass scenario where the application's security posture relies heavily on client-side visibility rather than robust server-side enforcement of permissions based on configuration states.
From a technical perspective, this flaw allows any user possessing valid authentication credentials and sufficient role-based permissions to interact with the manual enrollment functionality regardless of its global enablement status. By directly accessing the URL associated with the manual enrolment management page, an authorized but potentially malicious actor can bypass the intended administrative controls. The application processes these requests as if the plugin were active, thereby permitting actions such as adding users to courses or modifying existing enrollments without triggering any error messages or access denied responses that would be expected in a properly secured system. This behavior indicates a failure to synchronize state checks across both presentation and business logic layers of the web application architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant, particularly regarding data integrity and user management within educational institutions using Moodle as their learning management system. An attacker with low-level administrative privileges or even standard teacher roles that include enrollment capabilities could manipulate course rosters without detection by higher-level administrators who rely on the UI to monitor feature usage. This can lead to unauthorized access to restricted courses, manipulation of gradebooks through incorrect student additions, and potential escalation of privilege if combined with other vulnerabilities in the platform. Furthermore, it undermines audit trails since actions taken via this bypass may not be logged or flagged as anomalous by standard monitoring tools that expect enrollment activities only when the feature is explicitly enabled.
This vulnerability aligns closely with CWE-284 Improper Access Control and CWE-602 Client-Side Enforcement of Server-Side Security, highlighting a common pitfall in web application development where security decisions are delegated to the client interface rather than enforced strictly on the server. In terms of offensive cybersecurity frameworks, this behavior facilitates techniques described under MITRE ATT&CK T1078 Valid Accounts and potentially T1136 Create Account if used for unauthorized user creation within courses. The lack of consistent state validation allows attackers to exploit trusted credentials in ways that circumvent intended policy restrictions, effectively turning a standard administrative function into an uncontrolled vector for privilege abuse or data tampering.
To mitigate this risk, developers must implement rigorous server-side checks at every entry point related to manual enrollments. This involves verifying the current status of the manual enrollment plugin before processing any requests directed to its associated endpoints, ensuring that even if a user knows the direct URL, they cannot execute actions unless the feature is globally enabled by an administrator. Additionally, implementing comprehensive logging for all access attempts to sensitive management pages can aid in detecting exploitation attempts and provide forensic evidence during incident response. Regular security audits focusing on authorization logic consistency across UI components and backend handlers are essential to prevent similar discrepancies from arising in future updates or custom plugins within the Moodle ecosystem.