CVE-2020-14322 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

Moodle before versions 3.9.1, 3.8.4, 3.7.7, and 3.5.13 is affected by a vulnerability that could lead to denial of service attacks.

Understanding CVE-2020-14322

In this CVE, the Moodle platform's yui_combo feature did not limit the number of files it could load, posing a risk of denial of service.

What is CVE-2020-14322?

The vulnerability in Moodle versions prior to 3.9.1, 3.8.4, 3.7.7, and 3.5.13 allows attackers to potentially launch denial of service attacks by exploiting the yui_combo feature.

The Impact of CVE-2020-14322

This vulnerability could result in service disruption for Moodle instances, affecting availability and potentially causing downtime for users.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-14322

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises from the lack of limitations on the number of files that the yui_combo feature in Moodle can load, creating a vector for denial of service attacks.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: n/a
Product: Moodle
Affected Versions: Moodle 3.9, 3.8 to 3.8.3, 3.7 to 3.7.6, 3.5 to 3.5.12, and earlier unsupported versions

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending a large number of requests to the yui_combo feature, overwhelming the system and causing a denial of service.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade Moodle to version 3.9.1, 3.8.4, 3.7.7, or 3.5.13 to mitigate the vulnerability.
Implement network-level protections to filter and block excessive requests.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update Moodle to the latest supported version to address security vulnerabilities.
Monitor system logs and network traffic for any unusual patterns that may indicate a denial of service attack.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches and updates provided by Moodle to fix the vulnerability and enhance system security.