CVE-2025-62401 is an improper authorization vulnerability discovered in Moodle's timed assignment feature, affecting versions 4.1.0, 4.4.0, 4.5.0, and 5.0.0. The flaw allows authenticated users with student-level privileges to bypass the time restrictions imposed on assessments, effectively granting them additional time beyond what is officially allowed. This occurs because the system does not properly enforce authorization checks on the timing mechanism, enabling manipulation or circumvention of the time limits. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.4, reflecting a medium severity level, with an attack vector of network (remote exploitation possible), low attack complexity, and requiring privileges at the student level but no user interaction. The impact primarily affects the integrity of the assessment process, as it allows unauthorized extension of time, and availability, since it could disrupt normal exam scheduling or cause administrative overhead. Confidentiality is not impacted. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability could be exploited in academic environments to gain unfair advantage. Moodle is widely used in European educational institutions, making this vulnerability relevant for a large user base. The flaw highlights the importance of strict authorization enforcement in e-learning platforms, especially for timed assessments that are critical for academic integrity.

For European organizations, particularly educational institutions relying on Moodle for online assessments, this vulnerability threatens the integrity and fairness of exams and assignments. Students exploiting this flaw can gain unauthorized additional time, potentially invalidating assessment results and undermining trust in the educational process. This could lead to reputational damage for institutions and complicate compliance with academic regulations. Operationally, it may increase administrative burden due to the need for reassessment or investigation of suspicious activity. While the vulnerability does not directly compromise data confidentiality, it affects the availability and reliability of the assessment system. Institutions with large-scale Moodle deployments or high-stakes testing environments are at greater risk. The disruption could also impact remote learning continuity, which remains critical in many European countries. Given the medium severity, the threat is significant but not catastrophic, yet it requires prompt attention to maintain academic standards and operational stability.

Organizations should immediately inventory their Moodle installations to identify affected versions (4.1.0, 4.4.0, 4.5.0, 5.0.0) and plan for prompt patching once official updates are released by Moodle. Until patches are available, administrators can implement additional monitoring of timed assignment logs to detect anomalies in submission times or durations. Restricting permissions to only necessary roles and auditing role assignments can reduce the risk of exploitation. Consider temporarily disabling timed assignments or using alternative assessment methods if feasible. Enhancing user activity logging and correlating with network access logs can help identify potential misuse. Educate instructors and students about the issue to increase awareness and encourage reporting of suspicious behavior. Finally, review and tighten access control policies around assessment features to ensure proper authorization enforcement.