CVE-2020-25631 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability was found in Moodle 3.9 to 3.9.1, 3.8 to 3.8.4, and 3.7 to 3.7.7 that allowed the inclusion of JavaScript in a book's chapter title without proper escaping, as addressed in versions 3.9.2, 3.8.5, and 3.7.8.

Understanding CVE-2020-25631

This CVE entry pertains to a security issue in Moodle versions 3.7 to 3.9.1.

What is CVE-2020-25631?

The vulnerability in CVE-2020-25631 allowed the injection of JavaScript code into a book's chapter title, which was not properly escaped on the "Add new chapter" page.

The Impact of CVE-2020-25631

Exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to potential cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks, compromising the security and integrity of Moodle instances.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-25631

This section provides more in-depth technical insights into the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allowed malicious users to insert JavaScript code into book chapter titles, posing a risk of XSS attacks.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Versions: Moodle 3.9 to 3.9.1, 3.8 to 3.8.4, and 3.7 to 3.7.7

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers could exploit this vulnerability by injecting JavaScript code into chapter titles, potentially executing malicious scripts in the context of other users' sessions.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2020-25631 requires immediate actions and long-term security measures.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade Moodle to the patched versions: 3.9.2, 3.8.5, or 3.7.8 to mitigate the vulnerability.
Educate users to avoid inserting scripts in titles or content that could be executed as code.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update Moodle to the latest versions to ensure all security patches are applied promptly.
Implement content security policies (CSP) to mitigate the risk of XSS attacks.

Patching and Updates

Apply the provided patches for Moodle versions 3.9.2, 3.8.5, and 3.7.8 to address the vulnerability.