Moodle Web Installer Scanner

Moodle is a widely recognized open-source learning management system (LMS) utilized by educators and institutions worldwide to create and manage online courses. Developed with the purpose of providing educators tools to build rich learning environments, it is used by universities, schools, and companies for training purposes. The system offers functionalities for course management, student enrollment, and collaborative learning. Moodle's flexibility and wide array of plugins make it a versatile tool suited for various educational needs. It is frequently hosted on school and university servers, facilitating large numbers of concurrent users. Its open-source nature encourages continuous improvements and customizations by the global education community.

Installation Page Exposure refers to a vulnerability where the installation script of software like Moodle is accessible after deployment. This exposure usually occurs due to improper configuration settings, allowing unauthorized users to view or manipulate the installation page. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability might gain insight into the software's environment or potentially alter configurations maliciously. If the installation page is accessible, it might also reveal sensitive setup information that could be further exploited. This exposure represents a security risk because it can lead to unauthorized access or modifications to the application. Essentially, it strains the confidentiality and integrity of the application's deployment.

The Moodle installation page vulnerability is identified when the "install.php" file is publicly accessible. This file is intended only for initial setup and should be removed or protected post-installation. It is typically located under the web server root or in a public directory without restrictions. Testing for this vulnerability involves checking if accessing the URL followed by "/install.php" returns an installation-related page. Ensuring the server returns a 200 status code and installation-specific phrases in the response body further confirms exposure. Such exposure allows attackers to leverage misconfigurations and potentially execute unintended operations on the Moodle site.

If exploited, the installation page exposure could potentially allow an attacker unauthorized access to the Moodle installation process. This could result in attackers gaining control over the user data or modifying the configuration settings maliciously. It might permit the insertion of backdoors, data leaks, or compromises on server integrity. The attacker could manipulate system configurations, leading to data breaches or service disruptions. Exposure could also assist in orchestrating further focused attacks against the application. Ultimately, it compromises the security and trustworthiness of the Moodle deployment.

REFERENCES

• https://docs.moodle.org/39/en/Installation_quick_guide