CVE-2026-120199 in LearnHouse
Summary
by MITRE • 10/31/2026
LearnHouse before 1.1.1 contains a missing authorization vulnerability in the assignment API that allows authenticated users to read other users' grades and submissions. Attackers can supply another user_id to the submissions grade endpoint or query submission read functions to view other students' work, grades and instructor feedback.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/31/2026
The identified security flaw represents a critical failure in access control mechanisms within LearnHouse versions prior to 1.1.1, specifically targeting the assignment API infrastructure. This vulnerability is classified as an Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR), which corresponds to CWE-639 in the Common Weakness Enumeration standard. The core technical issue stems from insufficient server-side validation of user permissions when processing requests related to student submissions and grades. Instead of verifying that the authenticated user initiating the request has administrative privileges or is the rightful owner of the requested data, the application relies on client-supplied identifiers without adequate authorization checks. This architectural oversight allows any logged-in user to bypass intended restrictions by manipulating input parameters in API calls.
Operationally, this vulnerability enables unauthorized access to sensitive educational records and personal information belonging to other users within the system. An attacker who has obtained valid credentials for a low-privilege account can exploit this flaw by supplying arbitrary user identifiers into the submissions grade endpoint or query submission read functions. By doing so, they can retrieve detailed insights including peer students' assignment work, final grades assigned by instructors, and private feedback provided by educators. This exposure compromises the confidentiality of academic performance data and violates student privacy expectations inherent in educational platforms. The ability to view instructor feedback also reveals pedagogical strategies or grading criteria that may be intended for internal use only, potentially allowing malicious actors to game future assessments or manipulate perceptions of other students' capabilities.
From a threat modeling perspective aligned with MITRE ATT&CK frameworks, this vulnerability facilitates the Reconnaissance and Collection phases of an attack lifecycle. Specifically, it aligns with techniques involving data from cloud storage or application logs where sensitive information is aggregated without proper access controls. The exploitation does not require complex injection payloads but rather simple parameter tampering, making it highly accessible to attackers with basic knowledge of web API interactions. This simplicity increases the likelihood of successful exploitation in real-world scenarios, particularly against institutions that may have deployed default configurations or failed to implement robust identity and access management policies during initial setup.
To mitigate this vulnerability, immediate action is required by upgrading LearnHouse to version 1.1.1 or later where these authorization checks have been rectified. For environments unable to upgrade immediately, administrators should enforce strict input validation on all API endpoints handling user-specific data, ensuring that the requesting user's identity matches the resource owner unless explicit administrative rights are verified. Implementing role-based access control (RBAC) with principle of least privilege is essential to prevent lateral movement within the application logic. Additionally, deploying a Web Application Firewall can provide an additional layer of detection by monitoring for anomalous patterns in API requests that involve frequent changes to user identifiers or unauthorized data retrieval attempts. Regular security audits and penetration testing focused on access control flaws are recommended to identify similar weaknesses across other modules of the platform before they can be exploited.