# CVE-2004-1978: Cross-site scripting in n/a

> Remote attackers can inject arbitrary scripts into Moodle's help page, potentially stealing user sessions or executing malicious code.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 10 May 2005
- **Updated:** 8 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-2c5m-jj29-px47

## What is CVE-2004-1978?

CVE-2004-1978 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Moodle Moodle, published on 10 May 2005. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in help.php in Moodle before 1.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary HTML and web script via the text parameter.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2004-1978?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Moodle Moodle.

## How do I fix CVE-2004-1978?

No fix has been published for CVE-2004-1978 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2004-1978 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2004-1978 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Moodle 1.1/1.2 - Cross-Site Scripting (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Moodle Moodle

- [CVE-2006-4935](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-4935/): File upload in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2006-4936](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-4936/): Moodle does not properly validate module instance id (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-2233](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-2233/): Unknown "front page vulnerability with Moodle servers" for Moodle before 1.3.2 has unknown impact and attack vectors. (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-2235](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-2235/): Cross-site scripting in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-2236](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-2236/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2004-1978 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2004-1978 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Moodle Moodle, published on 10 May 2005. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2004-1978 exists.

Affected product: Moodle Moodle. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-1978/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-1978/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2004-1978
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2004-1978
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2004-1978

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-1978/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.