CVE-2025-63564: Moodle Socialwall Plugin SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2025-63564 Overview

CVE-2025-63564 is a SQL injection vulnerability in the Moodle Socialwall plugin versions 3.0 through 3.3. The flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary SQL statements through crafted HTTP requests. Successful exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution against the underlying Moodle instance and its backend database.

The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command). The attack requires no authentication, no user interaction, and can be launched remotely over the network.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated attackers can execute arbitrary SQL and achieve code execution against Moodle deployments running the Socialwall plugin, exposing user data, course content, and administrative credentials.

Affected Products

Moodle Socialwall plugin version 3.0
Moodle Socialwall plugin versions 3.1 and 3.2
Moodle Socialwall plugin version 3.3

Discovery Timeline

2026-09-23 - CVE-2025-63564 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-09-23 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-63564

Vulnerability Analysis

The Socialwall plugin extends Moodle with a social feed feature for courses. Affected versions fail to properly neutralize user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL statements. An attacker crafts an HTTP request containing SQL metacharacters that the plugin passes directly into a database query.

Because Moodle plugins execute within the same database context as the core platform, injected queries can read or modify any table. That includes the mdl_user table containing password hashes, session data, and role assignments. Attackers can escalate from data exfiltration to arbitrary code execution by writing malicious content into plugin configuration or by manipulating serialized data that Moodle later evaluates.

Root Cause

The root cause is direct concatenation of untrusted HTTP request parameters into SQL query strings without parameterized statements or input sanitization. Moodle provides the $DB abstraction layer with placeholder support, but the Socialwall plugin bypasses those safe APIs in the vulnerable code paths.

Attack Vector

Exploitation occurs over the network with no privileges and no user interaction. An attacker sends a crafted HTTP request to a Socialwall endpoint on a Moodle site. The malicious parameter values are interpolated into the backend SQL query, allowing UNION-based extraction, blind boolean inference, or stacked queries depending on the database driver.

A detailed walkthrough of the injection point and payload construction is available in the Medium write-up on SQLi in Moodle Socialwall. Refer to the Moodle project site for plugin lifecycle information.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-63564

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to Socialwall plugin endpoints under /mod/socialwall/ containing SQL metacharacters such as UNION SELECT, SLEEP(, --, or encoded variants
Unexpected database errors in Moodle logs referencing the mdl_socialwall tables or malformed queries
Outbound connections or file writes originating from the web server user shortly after suspicious Socialwall requests
New or modified administrator accounts in mdl_user and mdl_role_assignments without corresponding admin activity

Detection Strategies

Deploy web application firewall rules that inspect requests to /mod/socialwall/ paths for SQL injection signatures
Enable Moodle debug logging at the database layer and alert on syntax errors or unusually long query strings
Correlate HTTP access logs with database query logs to identify request-to-query patterns consistent with injection

Monitoring Recommendations

Monitor for anomalous read volume against mdl_user, mdl_user_preferences, and session tables
Track file integrity of Moodle plugin directories to detect webshell drops following successful injection
Alert on privilege changes in Moodle role assignment tables that occur outside normal administrative workflows

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-63564

Immediate Actions Required

Inventory Moodle installations and identify any deployments of the Socialwall plugin at versions 3.0 through 3.3
Disable or uninstall the Socialwall plugin until a patched release is confirmed available from the maintainer
Rotate Moodle administrator credentials and invalidate active sessions if exploitation is suspected
Review database audit logs for evidence of unauthorized SELECT, UPDATE, or INSERT statements against Moodle tables

Patch Information

At the time of publication, no fixed version of the Socialwall plugin is referenced in the NVD entry. Administrators should monitor the Moodle plugin directory and the maintainer's repository for an updated release addressing CVE-2025-63564. Until a patch is available, removal of the plugin is the recommended remediation.

Workarounds

Remove the Socialwall plugin directory from mod/socialwall and purge Moodle caches to eliminate the vulnerable endpoints
Restrict access to Moodle course modules with network-level controls such as IP allowlisting or VPN-only access while remediation is pending
Deploy WAF signatures targeting SQL injection patterns on requests to Socialwall URLs as a compensating control

bash

# Disable the Socialwall plugin from the Moodle CLI
sudo -u www-data php admin/cli/uninstall_plugins.php \
  --plugins=mod_socialwall --run

# Verify removal
ls -la /path/to/moodle/mod/socialwall 2>/dev/null || echo "Plugin removed"

# Purge caches after removal
sudo -u www-data php admin/cli/purge_caches.php