CVE-2004-1926 in TikiWiki
Summary
by MITRE
Tiki CMS/Groupware (TikiWiki) 1.8.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary code via the (1) Theme, (2) Country, (3) Real Name, or (4) Displayed time zone fields in a User Profile, or the (5) Name, (6) Description, (7) URL, or (8) Country fields in a Directory/Add Site operation.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2025
This vulnerability exists in Tiki CMS/Groupware version 1.8.1 and earlier, representing a critical remote code execution flaw that affects multiple user profile and directory submission fields. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's user management and directory functionality components. Attackers can exploit this weakness by submitting malicious code through specific fields that are intended for user profile information and directory site submissions. The affected input vectors include theme selection, country identification, real name entries, displayed time zone specifications, directory site names, descriptions, urls, and country fields, all of which lack proper sanitization before being processed or stored within the application's database.
The technical exploitation occurs when user-provided data containing malicious code is accepted without adequate validation, allowing attackers to inject executable code that gets processed by the server-side application. This represents a classic cross-site scripting vulnerability that has been escalated to remote code execution due to the application's failure to properly escape or filter user input before it is rendered or executed. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it affects core user management functions that are frequently accessed, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that rely on user-generated content or collaborative features. According to CWE standards, this maps to CWE-79 which describes Cross-site Scripting vulnerabilities, and potentially CWE-94 which addresses Arbitrary Code Execution through inadequate input validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on the affected server, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or service disruption. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to install backdoors, modify user permissions, access sensitive data, or use the compromised system as a launching point for further attacks within the network. The vulnerability affects not only individual user accounts but also the broader application infrastructure since user profile data is often used in various application components. This creates a potential attack surface that could be exploited for privilege escalation, data manipulation, or denial of service conditions. Organizations using affected versions of Tiki CMS/Groupware face significant risk of unauthorized access and system compromise.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of the application to version 1.8.2 or later, which contains the necessary input validation fixes. Additionally, administrators should implement proper input sanitization at multiple layers including web application firewalls, input validation routines, and output encoding mechanisms. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by limiting user permissions and restricting the types of data that can be submitted through profile and directory functions. Network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect anomalous user behavior or unauthorized code injection attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning and regular security assessments to identify similar weaknesses in other application components. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability aligns with T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) and T1190 (Exploit Public-Facing Application) tactics, emphasizing the need for comprehensive application security controls. Organizations should also establish incident response procedures specifically designed to handle code injection attacks and maintain regular backups to ensure rapid recovery from potential compromise scenarios.