[UNIX] Moodle Cross Site Scripting Vulnerability (post.php)

From: SecuriTeam (support_at_securiteam.com)
Date: 08/11/04

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Date: 11 Aug 2004 18:02:45 +0200

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      Moodle Cross Site Scripting Vulnerability (post.php)
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    SUMMARY

    " <http://www.moodle.org> Moodle is a course management system (CMS) - a
    software package designed to help educators create quality online
    courses."

    Moodle suffers from a cross-site scripting vulnerability due to handling
    of user supplied parameters in an unsafe manner.

    DETAILS

    Vulnerable Systems:
     * Moodle versions 1.3 and prior

    Immune Systems:
     * Moodle version 1.3.3

    The cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability is caused by un-filtering the
    $reply variable. Here is an excerpt from the original code:
    /* Begin of vulnerable code */

      } else if (isset($reply)) { // User is writing a new reply

        if (! $parent = forum_get_post_full($reply)) {
          error("Parent post ID was incorrect ($reply)");
        }
        if (! $discussion = get_record("forum_discussions", "id",
    $parent->discussion)) {
          error("This post is not part of a discussion! ($reply)");
        }
        if (! $forum = get_record("forum", "id", $discussion->forum)) {
          error("The forum number was incorrect ($discussion->forum)");
        }
        if (! $course = get_record("course", "id", $discussion->course)) {
          error("The course number was incorrect ($discussion->course)");
        }

        if (! forum_user_can_post($forum)) {
          error("Sorry, but you can not post in this forum.");
        }

        if ($cm = get_coursemodule_from_instance("forum", $forum->id,
    $course->id)) {
          if (groupmode($course, $cm) and !isteacheredit($course->id)) { //
    Make sure user can post here
            if (mygroupid($course->id) != $discussion->groupid) {
              error("Sorry, but you can not post in this discussion.");
            }
          }
          if (!$cm->visible and !isteacher($course->id)) {
            error(get_string("activityiscurrentlyhidden"));
          }
        }

    /* End of vulnerable code */

    The bug can be specifically traced to the following snippet of code:
    if (! $parent = forum_get_post_full($reply)) {
          error("Parent post ID was incorrect ($reply)");

    A proof of concept HTTP request that will pop up an alert dialog in the
    victim's context:
    http://www.vulnerable.com/moodle/mod/forum/post.php?reply=%3Cscript%3Ealert(document.cookie);%3C/script%3E

    Vendor Status:
    The vendor has been contacted and a new version is available for download.

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

    The information has been provided by <mailto:javierubilla@spymac.com>
    Javier Ubilla Brenni.

    ========================================

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