# CVE-2025-34031: Jmol Plugin - Path Traversal

> Live exploitation tracking for CVE-2025-34031 by the CrowdSec Live Exploit Tracker, built from real-world attack data crowdsourced from CrowdSec's global network.

Page: https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2025-34031

## Key facts

- **Exploitation phase:** Limited Exploitation. The vulnerability is known but shows very limited attacker interest or exploitation activity.
- **CVSS score:** 8.7
- **Public exploit available:** Yes
- **Affected products:** Moodle Jmol Plugin
- **Weaknesses:** CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal'))
- **Tags:** cms

## Description

A path traversal vulnerability exists in the Moodle LMS Jmol Plugin version 6.1 and prior via the query parameter in jsmol.php. The script directly passes user input to the file_get_contents() function without proper validation, allowing attackers to read arbitrary files from the server's filesystem by crafting a malicious query value. This vulnerability can be exploited without authentication and may expose sensitive configuration data, including database credentials. Exploitation evidence was observed by the Shadowserver Foundation on 2025-02-02 UTC.

## CrowdSec analysis

[CVE-2025-34031](https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/CVE-2025-34031) is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in the Moodle LMS Jmol plugin (version 6.1 and earlier), where improper input validation in jsmol.php allows unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary files from the server. By exploiting this flaw, threat actors can access sensitive configuration data, such as database credentials, potentially leading to further compromise of the system. Evidence of active exploitation has already been observed, highlighting the urgency of addressing this issue.

CrowdSec has been tracking this vulnerability and its exploits since 8th of April 2026.

Insights from the CrowdSec network reveal that the attackers trying to exploit CVE-2025-34031 are composed of a fairly even mix of opportunistic and targeted actors. Some attackers employ preliminary reconnaissance, while others use indiscriminate scanning.
CrowdSec data also reveals a clear uptick in attacks involving CVE-2025-34031 over the past week. Activity is above the usual baseline, suggesting growing attention from attackers. This may reflect rising awareness, recent exploit releases, or expanded targeting efforts.

Attackers exploit the `/filter/jmol/js/jsmol/php/jsmol.php` endpoint by supplying a `query` parameter with a `file://` URI, enabling local file inclusion and unauthorized reading of sensitive files from the server.

## Timeline

- 2025-06-24: CVE Published. CVE-2025-34031 is published to NVD.
- 2026-04-08: Rule Released. CrowdSec releases a rule to detect CVE-2025-34031 exploitation attempts against the CrowdSec Network.
- 2026-04-08: CrowdSec First Seen. CrowdSec observes in-the-wild exploitation of CVE-2025-34031 for the first time.

## References

- https://www.dionach.com/moodle-jmol-plugin-multiple-vulnerabilities/
- https://vulncheck.com/advisories/moodle-lms-jmol-plugin-path-traversal
- https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/cves/2025/CVE-2025-34031.yaml

## Live exploitation data

The [Live Exploit Tracker page](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2025-34031) follows observed exploitation activity for CVE-2025-34031. [Request an API key](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/request-api-key) for full access to its exploitation timeline, attacking IP addresses and blocklists.