CVE-2016-2153
Moodle Reflected XSS in mod_data advanced search
CVE-2016-2153 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.1) in Moodle, published March 25, 2016. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.47%, the 73rd percentile. Fixed in moodle/moodle 2.7.13.
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the advanced-search feature in mod_data in Moodle through 2.6.11, 2.7.x before 2.7.13, 2.8.x before 2.8.11, 2.9.x before 2.9.5, and 3.0.x before 3.0.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted field in a URL, as demonstrated by a search form field.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- Required
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- Low
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
6.1
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the advanced-search feature in mod_data in Moodle through 2.6.11, 2.7.x before 2.7.13, 2.8.x before 2.8.11, 2.9.x before 2.9.5, and 3.0.x before 3.0.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted field in a URL, as demonstrated by a search form field.
- Record
CVE-2016-2153- CVSS 3.0
- 6.1 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N - CVSS 2.0
- 4.3 Medium
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-79
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the advanced-search feature in mod_data in Moodle through 2.6.11, 2.7.x before 2.7.13, 2.8.x before 2.8.11, 2.9.x before 2.9.5, and 3.0.x before 3.0.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted field in a URL, as demonstrated by a search form field.
- Record
CVE-2016-2153- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2022-4578 No score
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the advanced-search feature in mod_data in Moodle through 2.6.11, 2.7.x before 2.7.13, 2.8.x before 2.8.11, 2.9.x before 2.9.5, and 3.0.x before 3.0.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted field in a URL, as demonstrated by a search form field.
- Record
EUVD-2022-4578- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-mj85-3hqq-r6r9
6.1
Moodle Reflected XSS in mod_data advanced search
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the advanced-search feature in mod_data in Moodle through 2.6.11, 2.7.x before 2.7.13, 2.8.x before 2.8.11, 2.9.x before 2.9.5, and 3.0.x before 3.0.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted field in a URL, as demonstrated by a search form field.
- Record
GHSA-mj85-3hqq-r6r9- CVSS 3.0
- 6.1 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-79
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
6.1
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the advanced-search feature in mod_data in Moodle through 2.6.11, 2.7.x before 2.7.13, 2.8.x before 2.8.11, 2.9.x before 2.9.5, and 3.0.x before 3.0.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted field in a URL, as demonstrated by a search form field.
- Record
CVE-2016-2153- CVSS 3.0
- 6.1 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-mj85-3hqq-r6r9
6.1
Moodle Reflected XSS in mod_data advanced search
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the advanced-search feature in mod_data in Moodle through 2.6.11, 2.7.x before 2.7.13, 2.8.x before 2.8.11, 2.9.x before 2.9.5, and 3.0.x before 3.0.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted field in a URL, as demonstrated by a search form field.
- Record
GHSA-mj85-3hqq-r6r9- CVSS 3.0
- 6.1 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-79
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVMGASA-2016-0122 No score
Updated moodle packages fix security vulnerability
In Moodle before 2.8.11, teachers who otherwise were not supposed to see students' emails could see them in the participants list (CVE-2016-2151).
In Moodle before 2.8.11, Moodle traditionally trusted content from external DB, however it was decided that external datasources may not be aware of web security practices and data could cause problems after importing to Moodle (CVE-2016-2152).
In Moodle before 2.8.11, a user with higher permissions could be tricked into clicking a link which would result in Reflected XSS in mod_data advanced search (CVE-2016-2153).
In Moodle before 2.8.11, users without capability to view hidden courses but with capability to subscribe to Event Monitor rules could see the names of hidden courses (CVE-2016-2154).
In Moodle before 2.8.11, the Non-Editing Instructor role can edit the exclude checkbox in the Single View grade report (CVE-2016-2155).
In Moodle before 2.8.11, users without the capability to view hidden acitivites could still see associated calendar events via web services, via the external function get_calendar_events (CVE-2016-2156).
In Moodle before 2.8.11, CSRF is possible on the Assignment plugin admin page, however an exploit is unlikely to benefit anybody and can easily be reversed (CVE-2016-2157).
In Moodle before 2.8.11, enumeration of course category details is possible without authentication (CVE-2016-2158).
In Moodle before 2.8.11, students were able to add assignment submissions after the due date through web service, via the external function mod_assign_save_submission (CVE-2016-2159).
In Moodle before 2.8.11, when following external links that were added with the _blank target, a referer header would be added (CVE-2016-2190).
- Record
MGASA-2016-0122- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
moodle/moodlePackagist |
2.7 up to 2.7.13 | 2.7.13 |
moodle/moodlePackagist |
2.8 up to 2.8.11 | 2.8.11 |
moodle/moodlePackagist |
2.9 up to 2.9.5 | 2.9.5 |
moodle/moodlePackagist |
3.0 up to 3.0.3 | 3.0.3 |
moodle/moodlePackagist |
2.7 up to 2.7.13, plus listed versions v2.7.0v2.7.0-betav2.7.0-rc1v2.7.0-rc2v2.7.1 Show 11 moreShow lessv2.7.10v2.7.11v2.7.12v2.7.2v2.7.3v2.7.4v2.7.5v2.7.6v2.7.7v2.7.8v2.7.9 |
2.7.13 |
moodle/moodlePackagist |
2.8 up to 2.8.11, plus listed versions v2.8.0v2.8.0-betav2.8.0-rc1v2.8.0-rc2v2.8.1 Show 9 moreShow lessv2.8.10v2.8.2v2.8.3v2.8.4v2.8.5v2.8.6v2.8.7v2.8.8v2.8.9 |
2.8.11 |
moodle/moodlePackagist |
2.9 up to 2.9.5, plus listed versions v2.9.0v2.9.0-betav2.9.0-rc1v2.9.0-rc2v2.9.1v2.9.2v2.9.3v2.9.4 |
2.9.5 |
moodle/moodlePackagist |
3.0 up to 3.0.3, plus listed versions v3.0.0v3.0.0-betav3.0.0-rc1v3.0.0-rc2v3.0.0-rc3v3.0.0-rc4v3.0.1v3.0.2 |
3.0.3 |
moodleMageia:5 |
before 2.8.11-1.mga5 | 2.8.11-1.mga5 |
History
| When | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-11-03 | aliases | EUVD |
| 2026-11-02 | created | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
References
git.moodle.org/gw?p=moodle.git&a=search&h=HEAD&st=commit&s=MDL-52727
openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/03/21/1
moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=330175
securitytracker.com/id/1035333
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-2153
github.com/moodle/moodle/commit/87e60e529939c60ef5b07d70c37426d359b2e8a2
Show 20 moreShow less
github.com/moodle/moodle/commit/8f95eac1634b4d84053cef52a03065e620d6adf2
github.com/moodle/moodle/commit/a5fae3b0d21cc85a7ea2d2c2af8c7fc9acf2fd92
github.com/moodle/moodle/commit/de60fc23aeeef5631d5718469124af3257383ead
github.com/moodle/moodle/commit/ead2dd9c161fcfde04ee1fa602e9101a47c53503
web.archive.org/web/20160424224349/http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1035333
github.com/advisories/GHSA-mj85-3hqq-r6r9
github.com/moodle/moodle
advisories.mageia.org/MGASA-2016-0122.html
bugs.mageia.org/show_bug.cgi?id=18048
moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=330173
moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=330174
moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=330176
moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=330177
moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=330178
moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=330179
moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=330180
moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=330181
moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=330182
docs.moodle.org/dev/Moodle_2.8.11_release_notes
moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=329783