CVE-2019-14880 : What You Need to Know

Researchers have identified a security vulnerability in Moodle versions 3.7 before 3.7.3, 3.6 before 3.6.7, 3.5 before 3.5.9, and earlier versions that could lead to potential account compromise. It is crucial for OAuth 2 providers to enhance verification measures to mitigate this risk.

Understanding CVE-2019-14880

This CVE involves a security loophole in specific versions of Moodle that could be exploited to compromise user accounts.

What is CVE-2019-14880?

The vulnerability in Moodle versions 3.7 before 3.7.3, 3.6 before 3.6.7, 3.5 before 3.5.9, and earlier allows for potential account compromise if email address changes are not adequately verified.

The Impact of CVE-2019-14880

The impact of this CVE includes the risk of unauthorized access to user accounts and potential data breaches due to inadequate email address verification.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-14880

This section provides technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Moodle versions 3.7 before 3.7.3, 3.6 before 3.6.7, 3.5 before 3.5.9, and earlier versions allows attackers to exploit email address changes to compromise user accounts.

Affected Systems and Versions

Moodle 3.7 before 3.7.3
Moodle 3.6 before 3.6.7
Moodle 3.5 before 3.5.9
Moodle 3.5 and earlier

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit the lack of email address verification in affected Moodle versions to gain unauthorized access to user accounts.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2019-14880, the following steps are recommended:

Immediate Steps to Take

Implement additional verification measures for email address changes
Ensure OAuth 2 providers verify user information during sign-up

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update Moodle to the latest secure versions
Educate users on secure password practices and email verification

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by Moodle to fix the vulnerability and enhance security measures