CVE-2025-3642
Published: 25 April 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-3642 is a high-severity Code Injection (CWE-94) vulnerability in Moodle Moodle. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 28.3% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Deeper analysis
A flaw was found in Moodle LMS involving the EQUELLA repository plugin, where improper control of code generation enables remote code execution. The issue is tracked as CVE-2025-3642 with a CVSS 3.1 score of 8.8 and is classified under CWE-94. It affects Moodle sites that have the EQUELLA repository enabled, and by default the affected functionality is restricted to teachers and managers.
Authenticated users in those roles can exploit the vulnerability over the network to execute arbitrary code on the server, potentially leading to full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The attack requires low complexity and no user interaction beyond the attacker's existing privileges.
Advisories from Red Hat and the Moodle project, including the linked CVE entry, bugzilla report, and forum discussion, provide details on the issue and direct administrators to apply available updates or configuration changes to mitigate exposure.
The EPSS score for this CVE rose from a low baseline to a peak of 0.0139, indicating that exploitation interest emerged after disclosure and that the vulnerability warrants renewed attention.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-12519
Vulnerability details
A flaw was found in Moodle. A remote code execution risk was identified in the Moodle LMS EQUELLA repository. By default, this was only available to teachers and managers on sites with the EQUELLA repository enabled.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
CVE-2025-3642 is a remote code execution vulnerability in the Moodle EQUELLA repository plugin, exploitable by authenticated teachers/managers on public-facing web applications, enabling exploitation of public-facing applications.
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Makes persistent code injection into loaded programs impossible when the executable image itself resides on hardware-protected read-only media.
Dynamically generated code can be produced and executed inside the isolated chamber, preventing host compromise from code-injection payloads.
Validates inputs used in dynamic code generation to block injected directives.
Directly prevents execution of attacker-supplied code written into data memory regions.