CVE-2005-2877 in TWiki
Summary
by MITRE
The history (revision control) function in TWiki 02-Sep-2004 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via shell metacharacters, as demonstrated via the rev parameter to TWikiUsers.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-2877 represents a critical remote code execution flaw within the TWiki web-based collaboration platform. This issue affects versions of TWiki released prior to September 2, 2004, specifically targeting the history or revision control functionality that enables users to track changes to wiki pages over time. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the system's handling of user-supplied parameters, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary shell commands on the affected server.
The technical exploitation occurs through the manipulation of the rev parameter within the TWikiUsers component, which is designed to manage user accounts and their associated wiki content. When the system processes this parameter without proper sanitization, it fails to properly escape or filter special shell metacharacters that could be interpreted by the underlying operating system. This allows an attacker to inject malicious commands that are subsequently executed with the privileges of the web server process, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-78, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands, and demonstrates the classic pattern of command injection attacks that have plagued web applications for decades.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform a wide range of malicious activities including data exfiltration, privilege escalation, and persistent system access. Since the exploitation occurs through a legitimate web interface, detection becomes challenging and traditional network monitoring may not immediately identify the malicious activity. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on TWiki for collaborative documentation and knowledge management, where the compromise of a single wiki instance could expose sensitive corporate information and potentially serve as a foothold for broader network infiltration.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to TWiki versions released after September 2, 2004, which contain proper input validation and sanitization measures. Additionally, administrators should enforce strict parameter validation at the application level, implement proper input encoding for all user-supplied data, and consider deploying web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious command injection attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.001 for command and script injection, emphasizing the importance of defensive measures that focus on input validation and privilege separation to prevent successful exploitation of such vulnerabilities.