CVE-2023-5546 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A medium severity Stored XSS vulnerability in the quiz grading report via user ID numbers has been identified and published. The vulnerability affects Moodle versions and has the potential to allow malicious actors to execute stored XSS attacks.

Understanding CVE-2023-5546

This section delves into the details surrounding CVE-2023-5546, including the vulnerability description, impact, affected systems, and exploitation mechanisms.

What is CVE-2023-5546?

CVE-2023-5546 involves ID numbers displayed in the quiz grading report that required additional sanitizing to prevent a stored XSS risk. This vulnerability could be exploited by attackers to inject malicious scripts into the system.

The Impact of CVE-2023-5546

The impact of this vulnerability lies in its ability to enable threat actors to execute stored XSS attacks, potentially compromising the confidentiality and integrity of user data within the affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-5546

This section provides technical insights into the vulnerability, including its description, affected systems and versions, as well as the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from a lack of proper sanitization of ID numbers displayed in the quiz grading report, leaving the system vulnerable to stored XSS attacks.

Affected Systems and Versions

Moodle version 4.2.3 is affected.
Versions 4.1.6 and 4.0.11 are unaffected.
Fedora and Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux 7 using Moodle are affected by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by injecting malicious scripts into the system through the user ID numbers displayed in the quiz grading report, ultimately leading to stored XSS attacks.

Mitigation and Prevention

To mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2023-5546, immediate steps should be taken to address the vulnerability and prevent potential exploitation.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Moodle to a patched version that addresses the stored XSS vulnerability.
Implement input sanitization measures to prevent malicious script injection.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch software to protect against known vulnerabilities.
Conduct security assessments and audits to identify and address weak points in the system.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that the affected systems, particularly Moodle installations, are promptly updated with the latest security patches to mitigate the risk of stored XSS attacks.