CVE-2026-112868 in H5P Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/21/2026
Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key vulnerability in H5P H5P h5p allows Exploiting Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security Levels.This issue affects H5P: from n/a through 1.17.9.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2026
The identified vulnerability represents a critical authorization bypass within the H5P content management framework, specifically affecting versions ranging from initial releases up to version 1.17.9. This flaw stems from an insecure implementation of access control mechanisms where the system relies on user-supplied input as part of the key or identifier used for permission checks. In secure software architecture, authorization decisions must be based on server-side validation of session tokens, roles, and resource ownership rather than mutable client-side identifiers that can be manipulated by an attacker. When a vulnerability allows exploitation through incorrectly configured access control security levels, it indicates that the application fails to enforce strict boundaries between different user privileges or content visibility settings. This type of flaw is fundamentally categorized under CWE-284 Improper Access Control and often maps to MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to Privilege Escalation or Unauthorized Access via Client-Side Manipulation, depending on whether the attacker gains higher privileges or simply accesses restricted resources without elevation.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability likely manifests when H5P processes requests containing keys that are directly derived from user input without sufficient sanitization or server-side verification against an authoritative access control list. An adversary can craft specific HTTP requests where they modify these controlled keys to reference content, settings, or administrative functions intended for other users or higher-privileged roles. Because the application trusts this key as a valid pointer to authorized resources, it grants access based on the manipulated identifier rather than verifying if the current session actually holds the requisite permissions. This bypasses standard authentication and authorization checks, allowing unauthorized entities to interact with protected endpoints, modify content configurations, or extract sensitive data that should remain isolated within specific user contexts. The impact is severe in collaborative learning environments where H5P is commonly deployed, as it undermines the integrity of interactive educational materials and potentially exposes proprietary course structures or student performance data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access. In an academic or corporate training setting, such a flaw can lead to significant reputational damage and compliance violations if sensitive learner information is exposed. Attackers could alter learning paths, inject malicious scripts into interactive content by exploiting the same lack of input validation that facilitates the authorization bypass, or disrupt service availability by modifying critical configuration parameters. The inability to distinguish between legitimate administrative actions and those initiated through manipulated keys erodes trust in the platform's security model. Furthermore, because H5P is often integrated with larger learning management systems like Moodle or Drupal, this vulnerability can serve as a pivot point for broader network compromise if the integration points do not independently validate permissions before executing commands passed from the H5P module.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate patching to version 1.18.0 or later where these access control checks have been hardened. In environments where upgrading is temporarily unfeasible, administrators should implement strict input validation at the web application firewall level to detect and block requests containing anomalous key structures typical of exploitation attempts. Additionally, reviewing server-side logs for unusual patterns in resource ID manipulation can help identify ongoing attacks. It is also advisable to enforce principle of least privilege by ensuring that API endpoints require explicit session-based token verification rather than relying solely on content identifiers passed via URL parameters or POST bodies. Regular security audits focusing on authorization logic and adherence to OWASP Access Control guidelines will further reduce the risk surface associated with such configuration-dependent flaws.