CVE-2022-30596 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A flaw was identified in Moodle that could lead to a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability when displaying ID numbers during the bulk allocation of markers to assignments.

Understanding CVE-2022-30596

This CVE record highlights a security issue in Moodle that could potentially expose users to XSS attacks.

What is CVE-2022-30596?

The vulnerability in Moodle allowed ID numbers to be displayed without proper sanitization, posing a risk of stored XSS attacks.

The Impact of CVE-2022-30596

The flaw could enable attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of the affected Moodle instance, leading to unauthorized data access or manipulation.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-30596

The technical aspects of CVE-2022-30596 provide insights into the vulnerability's description, affected systems and versions, as well as the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability stemmed from inadequate sanitization of ID numbers, opening the door to potential stored XSS risks within Moodle.

Affected Systems and Versions

Moodle versions 4.0, 3.11 to 3.11.6, 3.10 to 3.10.10, 3.9 to 3.9.13, and earlier unsupported versions were affected by this security flaw.

Exploitation Mechanism

Exploiting this vulnerability involved leveraging the lack of proper input validation in the display of ID numbers to inject and execute malicious scripts.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2022-30596, immediate steps, long-term security practices, and patching procedures are crucial.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users of affected Moodle versions should apply relevant patches and updates provided by the vendor to remediate the XSS vulnerability.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing secure coding practices, input validation mechanisms, and regular security audits can help bolster Moodle's defense against XSS and similar threats.

Patching and Updates

Regularly updating Moodle installations to the latest supported versions and staying informed about security advisories is essential to mitigate the risk of XSS vulnerabilities like CVE-2022-30596.