CVE-2024-48900 is a vulnerability identified in Moodle version 4.4.0, a widely used open-source learning management system. The issue concerns improper access control related to the visibility of badge recipients. Moodle allows users with permission to view badge recipients to access lists of individuals who have earned badges. However, the vulnerability arises because the system does not enforce sufficient checks to ensure that these users can only see the badge recipient lists they are authorized to view. As a result, users with certain privileges may gain unauthorized access to sensitive information about badge recipients beyond their intended scope. The vulnerability is classified as an information exposure flaw affecting confidentiality but does not impact data integrity or system availability. Exploitation requires the attacker to have privileges to view badge recipients, which implies some level of authenticated access, but no user interaction is needed. The attack vector is network-based, and the vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 score of 4.3, indicating a medium severity level. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication. The vulnerability was reserved in early October 2024 and published in mid-November 2024. No official patches or mitigation links were provided in the source data, suggesting that administrators need to monitor Moodle updates closely for fixes or implement custom access control measures.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-48900 is the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information regarding badge recipients within Moodle. This can lead to privacy violations, as badge recipient lists may contain personally identifiable information or other sensitive data. For educational institutions and organizations using Moodle, this exposure could undermine trust, violate data protection regulations such as GDPR, and potentially expose individuals to targeted social engineering or phishing attacks. Although the vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability, the confidentiality breach can have reputational and compliance consequences. Since exploitation requires some level of authenticated access, the risk is somewhat mitigated by internal access controls, but insider threats or compromised accounts could leverage this flaw. The scope is limited to Moodle 4.4.0 installations, but given Moodle's global usage, the impact could be widespread in affected environments.

To mitigate CVE-2024-48900, organizations should first verify and tighten access control policies related to badge recipient visibility within Moodle. Specifically, administrators should audit user roles and permissions to ensure that only authorized users can view badge recipient lists and that these lists are scoped appropriately to prevent overexposure. Until an official patch is released, consider implementing custom code or plugins that enforce stricter checks on badge recipient data access. Monitoring Moodle's official security advisories and promptly applying updates when patches become available is critical. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular access reviews and implement strong authentication and session management to reduce the risk of privilege abuse. Logging and alerting on unusual access patterns to badge recipient data can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Finally, educating users about the sensitivity of badge data and enforcing least privilege principles will further reduce risk.