CVE-2006-2895 in MediaWiki
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in MediaWiki 1.6.0 up to versions before 1.6.7 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary HTML and web script via the edit form.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2018
The CVE-2006-2895 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in MediaWiki versions 1.6.0 through 1.6.6, which enables remote attackers to execute malicious code through the wiki's edit interface. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically manifesting as stored XSS in the MediaWiki platform. The flaw occurs when user input submitted through the edit form is not properly sanitized or validated before being rendered back to other users browsing the wiki pages. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious HTML or JavaScript code within the edit fields, which then gets executed when other users view the affected pages.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of MediaWiki's input processing mechanisms during the editing process. When users create or modify wiki content through the web interface, the system fails to adequately filter or escape special characters and script tags that could be interpreted as executable code by web browsers. This allows attackers to inject malicious payloads that persist in the wiki database and execute automatically when other users access the modified pages. The vulnerability specifically affects the rendering of user-generated content in the wiki's output, making it particularly dangerous for collaborative environments where multiple users contribute content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of wiki content, and redirection to malicious websites. In a typical wiki environment, where multiple users contribute and access content regularly, the potential for widespread compromise increases significantly. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal user sessions, modify critical documentation, inject phishing content, or even establish persistent backdoors within the wiki infrastructure. The stored nature of the XSS payload means that the malicious code remains active until manually removed from the wiki, potentially affecting all users who access the compromised pages.
Organizations utilizing MediaWiki versions affected by CVE-2006-2895 should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to MediaWiki version 1.6.7 or later, which contains the necessary patches for this vulnerability. Additional defensive measures include implementing proper input validation and output encoding for all user-generated content, utilizing Content Security Policy headers, and conducting regular security audits of wiki content. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through phishing and T1588.002 for development tools and libraries, highlighting the importance of maintaining up-to-date software and implementing comprehensive security controls. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious content patterns in their wiki systems to detect potential exploitation attempts.