VulnerabilityPublished 21 Feb 2026Updated 26 Feb 2026

CVE-2026-26046: moodle · OS Command Injection

Affects moodleSource CVE Database V5

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Not known to be exploited · 13% EPSS · CVSS 7.2 High · fixed in 5.1.2 : patch moodle soon.

Data as of 30 Oct 2026, 06:59 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

7.2High

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 13.8% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 96% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch: Available – fixed in 5.1.2, 5.0.5, 4.5.9

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: High
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: High

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Network: The vulnerable component is bound to the network stack and the set of possible attackers extends beyond the other options listed, up to and including the entire Internet. Such a vulnerability is often termed 'remotely exploitable' and can be thought of as an attack being exploitable at the protocol level one or more network hops away (e.g., across one or more routers).
Attack Complexity: Low: Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable component.
Privileges Required: High: The attacker is authorized with (i.e., requires) privileges that provide significant (e.g., administrative) control over the vulnerable component that could affect component-wide settings and files.
User Interaction: None: The vulnerable system can be exploited without any interaction from any user.
Scope: Unchanged: An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority. In this case, the vulnerable component and the impacted component are either the same, or both are managed by the same security authority.
Confidentiality: High: There is total loss of confidentiality, resulting in all resources within the impacted component being divulged to the attacker. Alternatively, access to only some restricted information is obtained, but the disclosed information presents a direct, serious impact.
Integrity: High: There is a total loss of integrity, or a complete loss of protection. For example, the attacker is able to modify any/all files protected by the impacted component. Alternatively, only some files can be modified, but malicious modification would present a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component.
Availability: High: There is total loss of availability, resulting in the attacker being able to fully deny access to resources in the impacted component; this loss is either sustained (while the attacker continues to deliver the attack) or persistent (the condition persists even after the attack has completed). Alternatively, the attacker has the ability to deny some availability, but the loss of availability presents a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component (e.g., the attacker cannot disrupt existing connections, but can prevent new connections; the attacker can repeatedly exploit a vulnerability that, in each instance of a successful attack, leaks a only small amount of memory, but after repeated exploitation causes a service to become completely unavailable).

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v3.1 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 21 Feb 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 29 Oct 2026.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponized: A Metasploit exploit module or Exploit-DB entry exists (Metasploit scanner modules do not count), or CISA SSVC or the CVSS exploit maturity reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Upgrade moodle to 5.1.2, 5.0.5 or 4.5.9.

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
GitHubmoodle`pkg:github/moodle`Other threats	Affected <4.5.9 >=5.0.0 <5.0.5 >=5.1.0 <5.1.2	Fixed in 4.5.9 5.0.5 5.1.2

Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.

AI-suggested

To mitigate CVE-2026-26046, organizations should immediately update Moodle to a patched version once available. In the absence of patches, administrators should disable the TeX filter if not essential or remove ImageMagick from the server to break the exploitation chain. Strictly limit administrative access to trusted personnel and enforce strong authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication. Regularly audit administrative configurations for suspicious or unexpected entries. Employ application-layer firewalls or intrusion detection systems to monitor and block anomalous command execution attempts. Additionally, implement strict input validation and sanitization controls in custom Moodle plugins or configurations. Regular backups and incident response plans should be in place to recover from potential compromises. Monitoring logs for unusual administrative activity can help detect exploitation attempts early.

Description

A vulnerability was found in a Moodle TeX filter administrative setting where insufficient sanitization of configuration input could allow command injection. On sites where the TeX filter is enabled and ImageMagick is installed, a maliciously crafted setting value entered by an administrator could result in unintended system command execution. While exploitation requires administrative privileges, successful compromise could affect the entire Moodle server.

Impact

The impact of CVE-2026-26046 is substantial for organizations using affected Moodle versions with the TeX filter enabled and ImageMagick installed. An attacker with administrative access can execute arbitrary OS commands, potentially leading to full server compromise. This can result in unauthorized data access, data modification or deletion, disruption of Moodle services, and use of the compromised server as a pivot point for further attacks within the network. Educational institutions, online learning platforms, and enterprises relying on Moodle for critical operations could face significant operational disruption and data breaches. The requirement for administrative privileges limits the attack surface but does not eliminate risk, as insider threats or compromised admin accounts could be leveraged. The vulnerability could also damage organizational reputation and lead to compliance violations if sensitive student or user data is exposed.

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What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 1 Mar 2026, 00:44 UTC

Technical details

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