Moodle: insufficient capability checks when updating the parent of a course category
Priority LOW 25CWE-284Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass, Privilege escalation
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · Low · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-284 and CWE-269.
Summary
Insufficient web service capability checks made it possible to move categories a user had permission to manage, to a parent category they did not have the capability to manage.
Why it matters now
Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00592 48th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed moodle: 4.2.3, 4.1.6, 4.0.11 +2moodle/moodle (Packagist): 4.3.0-rc2
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | moodle | 4.2.0 to before 4.2.3; 4.1.0 to before 4.1.6; 4.0.0 to before 4.0.11; 3.11.0 to before 3.11.17; before 3.9.24 | 4.2.3, 4.1.6, 4.0.11, 3.11.17, 3.9.24 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | moodle/moodle (Packagist) | before 4.3.0-rc2 | 4.3.0-rc2 | Patch available | GHSA-fm5h-58g2-4m3f |
- moodle Vendor— Affected 4.2.0 to before 4.2.3; 4.1.0 to before 4.1.6; 4.0.0 to before 4.0.11; 3.11.0 to before 3.11.17; before 3.9.24 Fixed in 4.2.3, 4.1.6, 4.0.11, 3.11.17, 3.9.24 Patch available CNA
- moodle/moodle (Packagist) Vendor— Affected before 4.3.0-rc2 Fixed in 4.3.0-rc2 Patch available GHSA-fm5h-58g2-4m3f
CPE configurations NVD · 3
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:moodle:moodle:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 3.9.24; 3.11.0 to before 3.11.17; 4.0.0 to before 4.0.11; 4.1.0 to before 4.1.6; 4.2.0 to before 4.2.3 | Vulnerable | Moodle |
| cpe:2.3:a:fedoraproject:extra_packages_for_enterprise_linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 | Vulnerable | Fedoraproject |
| cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:38:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 38 | Vulnerable | Fedoraproject |
- cpe:2.3:a:moodle:moodle:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 3.9.24; 3.11.0 to before 3.11.17; 4.0.0 to before 4.0.11; 4.1.0 to before 4.1.6; 4.2.0 to before 4.2.3 Vulnerable ·Moodle
- cpe:2.3:a:fedoraproject:extra_packages_for_enterprise_linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
- cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:38:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 38 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
Remediation
- Fix · CNA moodle Fixed in 4.2.3, 4.1.6, 4.0.11, 3.11.17, 3.9.24
- Fix · GHSA-fm5h-58g2-4m3f moodle/moodle (Packagist) Fixed in 4.3.0-rc2 Advisory →
Vendor assessments
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-5549
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-fm5h-58g2-4m3f
References
Patch 3
Sources
- CVE-2023-5549 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-5549 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-fm5h-58g2-4m3f · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2023-5549 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences