Moodle: Improper Handling of Insufficient Permissions or Privileges
CVE-2025-67848 is a high-severity improper handling of insufficient permissions or privileges vulnerability in Moodle, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 4.1.22, 4.4.11, 4.5.8 as the first without the flaw, so updating Moodle to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.41% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Moodle to 4.1.22 or 4.4.11 or 4.5.8 or 5.0.4, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Read the advisory on moodle.org for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moodle | Moodle | before 4.1.22; 4.4.0 up to, but not including, 4.4.11; 4.5.0 up to, but not including, 4.5.8; 5.0.0 up to, but not including, 5.0.4; 5.1.0 | 4.1.22, 4.4.11, 4.5.8, 5.0.4 |
Version data comes from NVD's product matching. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- NoneAvailability is not affected.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N. Scored by CNA (puiterwijk.org).
Official description
A flaw was found in Moodle. This authentication bypass vulnerability allows suspended users to authenticate through the Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) Provider. The issue arises from the LTI authentication handlers failing to enforce the user's suspension status, enabling unauthorized access to the system. This can lead to information disclosure or other unauthorized actions by users who should be restricted.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Handling of Insufficient Permissions or Privileges
The product does not handle or incorrectly handles when it has insufficient privileges to access resources or functionality as specified by their permissions. This may cause it to follow unexpected code paths that may leave the product in an invalid state.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Compartmentalize the system to have safe areas where trust boundaries can be unambiguously drawn. Do not allow sensitive data to go outside of the trust boundary and always be careful when interfacing with a compartment outside of the safe area. Ensure that appropriate compartmentalization is built into the system design, and the compartmentalization allows for and reinforces privilege separation functionality. Architects and designers should rely on the principle of least privilege to decide the appropriate time to use privileges and the time to drop privileges.
- Always check to see if you have successfully accessed a resource or system functionality, and use proper error handling if it is unsuccessful. Do this even when you are operating in a highly privileged mode, because errors or environmental conditions might still cause a failure. For example, environments with highly granular permissions/privilege models, such as Windows or Linux capabilities, can cause unexpected failures.
More Improper Handling of Insufficient Permissions or Privileges vulnerabilities (CWE-280)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Third-party and government advisories
- access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-67848Third Party Advisory
- bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2423831Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
Other vulnerabilities in Moodle
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
Recent Improper Handling of Insufficient Permissions or Privileges vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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