CVE-2020-25698 : Security Advisory and Response

A vulnerability in Moodle could allow unauthorized unenrollment of users from courses, impacting versions 3.5 to 3.9.2.

Understanding CVE-2020-25698

This CVE involves a flaw in Moodle's user enrollment verification process, potentially leading to unauthorized unenrollment of users.

What is CVE-2020-25698?

The vulnerability in Moodle allowed users to unenroll others from courses without proper permissions, affecting versions 3.5 to 3.9.2.

The Impact of CVE-2020-25698

This vulnerability could result in unauthorized users being able to remove others from courses, potentially disrupting educational activities and compromising data integrity.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-25698

The technical aspects of the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

Users' enrollment capabilities were not adequately verified in Moodle, enabling unauthorized unenrollment from courses.

Affected Systems and Versions

Versions affected: 3.5 to 3.5.14, 3.7 to 3.7.8, 3.8 to 3.8.5, 3.9 to 3.9.2, and earlier unsupported versions.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers could exploit this vulnerability by restoring users into existing courses and then unenrolling them without proper authorization.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2020-25698.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Moodle to the fixed versions: 3.9.3, 3.8.6, 3.7.9, 3.5.15, or 3.10.
Monitor user enrollments and unenrollments for any unauthorized activities.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly review and update user permissions within Moodle to prevent unauthorized actions.
Educate users on proper course management practices to avoid accidental or intentional unenrollments.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches and updates provided by Moodle to address this vulnerability.