CVE-2026-1517: Iomad SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2026-1517 Overview

A SQL Injection vulnerability has been identified in IOMAD, an open-source Moodle-based multi-tenant learning management system, affecting versions up to 5.0. The vulnerability exists in the Company Admin Block component and can be exploited remotely by authenticated attackers with high privileges to manipulate database queries, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers with administrative privileges can execute arbitrary SQL commands against the underlying database, potentially compromising sensitive learning management data, user credentials, and multi-tenant organizational information.

Affected Products

• IOMAD versions up to 5.0
• IOMAD Company Admin Block component
• Moodle installations with IOMAD multi-tenancy plugin

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-05 - CVE-2026-1517 published to NVD
• 2026-02-05 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-1517

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL Injection vulnerability (CWE-74: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component) affects the Company Admin Block functionality within IOMAD. The vulnerability allows authenticated administrators to inject malicious SQL statements through improperly sanitized input parameters. While the attack requires elevated privileges (admin-level access), successful exploitation can compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the database.

The network-accessible nature of this vulnerability means attackers can exploit it remotely without requiring local access to the server. The relatively low attack complexity makes this vulnerability accessible to attackers with basic SQL injection knowledge, though the high privilege requirement limits the potential attacker pool.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and improper sanitization of user-supplied data within the Company Admin Block component. When processing administrative requests, the application fails to properly escape or parameterize SQL queries, allowing specially crafted input to be interpreted as SQL commands rather than data. This represents a classic injection flaw where trust boundaries are not properly enforced between user input and database query construction.

Attack Vector

The attack can be executed remotely over the network by an authenticated user with administrative privileges. The attacker would need to:

1. Obtain valid administrative credentials for an IOMAD installation
2. Navigate to the Company Admin Block functionality
3. Submit malicious SQL statements through vulnerable input fields
4. Exploit the lack of parameterized queries to execute arbitrary database commands

The vulnerability does not require user interaction beyond the attacker's own actions, and successful exploitation can impact the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of stored data with limited scope to the vulnerable system itself.

The SQL injection manifests in the Company Admin Block component where user input is concatenated directly into SQL queries without proper sanitization. Attackers with administrative access can craft malicious payloads to extract sensitive data, modify database contents, or potentially escalate privileges within the system. For detailed technical information, see the GitHub IOMAD Issue #2559.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-1517

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual SQL error messages in application logs originating from Company Admin Block requests
• Database query logs showing unexpected UNION SELECT, OR 1=1, or other SQL injection patterns
• Abnormal administrative activity patterns in IOMAD audit logs
• Unauthorized data access or modifications in multi-tenant company records

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect SQL injection patterns targeting IOMAD endpoints
• Monitor database query logs for anomalous queries from the Company Admin Block module
• Enable and review IOMAD/Moodle audit logs for suspicious administrative actions
• Deploy database activity monitoring to detect unauthorized data access patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Configure alerting on SQL error patterns in web server and application logs
• Establish baseline administrative activity and alert on deviations
• Monitor for bulk data extraction attempts from company-related database tables
• Review authentication logs for compromised administrator accounts that may be used to exploit this vulnerability

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-1517

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade IOMAD to a patched version that addresses this SQL injection vulnerability
• Review administrative user accounts and enforce principle of least privilege
• Implement Web Application Firewall rules to filter SQL injection attempts
• Enable detailed logging on administrative functions and database queries
• Conduct an audit of database access to identify potential prior exploitation

Patch Information

The IOMAD development team has acknowledged this vulnerability. Organizations should monitor the GitHub IOMAD Repository for security patches and apply updates as soon as they become available. Additional details can be found in GitHub IOMAD Issue #2559 and the VulDB advisory.

Workarounds

• Restrict network access to the IOMAD administrative interface using firewall rules or VPN requirements
• Implement additional authentication factors for administrative accounts
• Use database-level permissions to limit the damage potential of SQL injection attacks
• Consider temporarily disabling the Company Admin Block functionality until patches are applied
• Deploy a reverse proxy with SQL injection filtering capabilities in front of the IOMAD installation

While patching is the recommended solution, administrators can implement additional input validation at the web server level using ModSecurity or similar WAF solutions. Ensure that administrative interfaces are only accessible from trusted networks and that database accounts used by IOMAD follow the principle of least privilege.