CVE-2022-45151 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability was discovered in Moodle, allowing an attacker to inject and execute arbitrary HTML and script code in a user's browser within the context of the vulnerable website.

Understanding CVE-2022-45151

This section provides insight into the impact and technical details of CVE-2022-45151.

What is CVE-2022-45151?

The vulnerability in Moodle arises from inadequate sanitization of user-supplied data in certain 'social' user profile fields, enabling malicious code injection by attackers.

The Impact of CVE-2022-45151

The vulnerability could lead to the execution of arbitrary HTML and script code in the victim's browser, posing a significant risk to the confidentiality and integrity of user data.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-45151

Explore the specifics of the vulnerability in this section.

Vulnerability Description

The stored-XSS flaw in Moodle allows attackers to embed malicious code in user profiles, leading to script execution within the browser.

Affected Systems and Versions

The issue impacts Moodle versions up to 4.0.5 and 3.11.11, with fixes released for these versions.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit the vulnerability by injecting crafted HTML or script code into user profile fields, leveraging the lack of input sanitization.

Mitigation and Prevention

Discover the necessary steps to mitigate the risk of exploitation.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to update their Moodle installations to versions 4.0.5 or 3.11.11, where the vulnerability has been patched.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement strict input validation and output encoding mechanisms in web applications to prevent XSS vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Regularly monitor security advisories and apply updates promptly to address known vulnerabilities.