CVE-2025-26525: Moodle/moodle Moodle Has An Arbitrary File Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-4hmr-39vp-xfrr
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CVSS 8.6
CWE-552
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2025-26525 is a HIGH (CVSS 8.6) moodle has an arbitrary file vulnerability (CWE-552: Files or Directories Accessible to External Parties) affecting Moodle/moodle libraries in the Packagist ecosystem. The issue involves moodle has an arbitrary file read risk through pdftex. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 4.5.2, 4.4.6, 4.3.10, 4.1.16.

CVE-2025-26525 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2025-26525
GHSA Identifier GHSA-4hmr-39vp-xfrr
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 8.6
CWE Classification CWE-552: Files or Directories Accessible to External Parties
Affected Product Moodle/moodle
Package Ecosystem Packagist
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 8.6

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Changed (S:C)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2025-26525

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Moodle/moodle dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

moodle/moodle fixed: 4.5.2 
Upgrade moodle/moodle to 4.5.2
moodle/moodle fixed: 4.4.6 
Upgrade moodle/moodle to 4.4.6
moodle/moodle fixed: 4.3.10 
Upgrade moodle/moodle to 4.3.10
moodle/moodle fixed: 4.1.16 
Upgrade moodle/moodle to 4.1.16
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

inspect dependencies for moodle/moodle

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2025-26525, inspect your project dependencies for Moodle/moodle:

inspect dependencies for moodle/moodle

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Moodle/moodle in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 4.5.2), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-552: Files or Directories Accessible to External Parties, where the product makes files or directories accessible to unauthorized actors, even though they should not be. In Moodle/moodle, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

Insufficient sanitizing in the TeX notation filter resulted in an arbitrary file read risk on sites where pdfTeX is available (such as those with TeX Live installed).

CVE-2025-26525 Affected Moodle/moodle Versions

4 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
4.5.24.4.64.3.104.1.16
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
moodle/moodle
 Packagist
≥ 4.5.0-beta
< 4.5.2
4.5.2
moodle/moodle
 Packagist
≥ 4.4.0-beta
< 4.4.6
4.4.6
moodle/moodle
 Packagist
≥ 4.3.0-beta
< 4.3.10
4.3.10
moodle/moodle
 Packagist
< 4.1.16
4.1.16

References

NVD — CVE-2025-26525 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-26525
git.moodle.org/gw WEB
https://git.moodle.org/gw?p=moodle.git&a=search&h=HEAD&st=commit&s=MDL-84136
Moodle/moodle Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/moodle/moodle
moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.p... WEB
https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=466141

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-26525?
CVE-2025-26525 is a security vulnerability in Moodle/moodle involving Moodle has an arbitrary file read risk through pdfTeX under CWE-552: Files or Directories Accessible to External Parties.
Which Moodle/moodle versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 4.5.2, 4.4.6, 4.3.10, 4.1.16 across affected packages: moodle/moodle.
What version fixes CVE-2025-26525?
Upgrading to 4.5.2, 4.4.6, 4.3.10, 4.1.16 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is moodle/moodle affected?
Yes, moodle/moodle is affected in releases prior to 4.5.2, 4.4.6, 4.3.10, 4.1.16. Upgrade your dependency to 4.5.2, 4.4.6, 4.3.10, 4.1.16 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2025-26525?
CVE-2025-26525 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.6 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2025-26525?
CVE-2025-26525 is classified under CWE-552: Files or Directories Accessible to External Parties (The product makes files or directories accessible to unauthorized actors, even though they should not be.).
How can I check Packagist dependencies for CVE-2025-26525?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for moodle/moodle'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-4hmr-39vp-xfrr",
  "modified" : "2025-02-24T22:02:27Z",
  "published" : "2025-02-24T21:31:44Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2025-26525" ],
  "summary" : "Moodle has an arbitrary file read risk through pdfTeX",
  "details" : "Insufficient sanitizing in the TeX notation filter resulted in an arbitrary file read risk on sites where pdfTeX is available (such as \nthose with TeX Live installed).",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Packagist",
      "name" : "moodle/moodle"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "4.5.0-beta"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "4.5.2"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
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    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
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        "introduced" : "4.4.0-beta"
      }, {
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      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Packagist",
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    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "4.3.0-beta"
      }, {
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      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Packagist",
      "name" : "moodle/moodle"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
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      }, {
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      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-26525"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://git.moodle.org/gw?p=moodle.git&a=search&h=HEAD&st=commit&s=MDL-84136"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/moodle/moodle"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=466141"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-552" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2025-02-24T22:02:26Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2025-02-24T20:15:33Z"
  }
}