CVE-2025-3642 is a high-severity remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability affecting Moodle Learning Management System (LMS) versions 4.1.0, 4.3.0, 4.4.0, and 4.5.0. The flaw resides specifically in the EQUELLA repository integration module of Moodle. EQUELLA is a digital repository system used to manage and share educational content. The vulnerability arises from improper control over code generation within this repository, allowing an attacker with certain privileges to inject and execute arbitrary code remotely. By default, the vulnerable functionality is accessible only to users with teacher or manager roles on Moodle sites where the EQUELLA repository is enabled. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 reflects the critical nature of this vulnerability, with an attack vector classified as network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring privileges (PR:L) but no user interaction (UI:N). The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H), meaning successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise, data theft, and service disruption. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the presence of remote code execution with relatively low privilege requirements makes this a significant threat. The vulnerability affects multiple recent Moodle versions, indicating a broad potential attack surface in educational institutions and organizations using Moodle for e-learning and content management. The lack of patch links suggests that remediation may still be pending or that users must rely on vendor advisories for updates. Given Moodle's widespread use in Europe, especially in academic and training environments, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk to the confidentiality and integrity of educational data and the availability of learning services.

European organizations, particularly educational institutions, universities, and training providers using Moodle with the EQUELLA repository enabled, face significant risks from this vulnerability. Exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code remotely, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive student and staff data, manipulation or deletion of educational content, and disruption of learning services. This could result in reputational damage, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR violations due to data breaches), and operational downtime. Since the vulnerability requires teacher or manager privileges, insider threats or compromised accounts could be leveraged to escalate attacks. Additionally, attackers might use exploited Moodle servers as footholds for lateral movement within organizational networks. The impact extends beyond confidentiality to integrity and availability, threatening the trustworthiness and continuous operation of critical educational infrastructure. Given the increasing reliance on digital learning platforms in Europe, the vulnerability could affect a large user base and disrupt educational continuity.

1. Immediate review and restriction of teacher and manager privileges on Moodle sites, especially those with EQUELLA repository enabled, to minimize the number of accounts that can exploit this vulnerability. 2. Disable the EQUELLA repository integration if it is not essential to operations, reducing the attack surface. 3. Monitor Moodle logs for unusual activity indicative of code injection attempts or privilege misuse. 4. Apply vendor-supplied patches or updates as soon as they become available; if patches are not yet released, implement compensating controls such as network segmentation and application-layer firewalls to restrict access to Moodle administrative interfaces. 5. Enforce strong authentication mechanisms (e.g., MFA) for teacher and manager accounts to reduce the risk of credential compromise. 6. Conduct security awareness training for privileged users to recognize phishing or social engineering attempts that could lead to account compromise. 7. Regularly back up Moodle data and configurations to enable rapid recovery in case of compromise. 8. Engage in vulnerability scanning and penetration testing focused on Moodle deployments to detect potential exploitation or related weaknesses.