CVE-2007-0857 in MoinMoin
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in MoinMoin before 1.5.7 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the page info, or the page name in a (2) AttachFile, (3) RenamePage, or (4) LocalSiteMap action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/08/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-0857 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness in the MoinMoin wiki software ecosystem prior to version 1.5.7. This vulnerability manifests across multiple attack vectors within the wiki platform's core functionality, making it particularly dangerous for organizations relying on wiki-based collaboration systems. The flaw resides in the insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it within web pages. Security researchers have classified this vulnerability under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, while threat actors leveraging this weakness would typically follow ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter execution through malicious web content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when user-provided content flows through various wiki actions without adequate sanitization. The first vector involves page information fields where attackers can inject malicious scripts during standard wiki page creation or modification processes. The second vector targets the AttachFile functionality, where file names and metadata can contain malicious code that executes when users view attached files. The third vector operates through RenamePage actions, where page renaming operations fail to properly escape user input, and the fourth vector affects LocalSiteMap operations which generate navigational structures containing unsanitized user data. These attack surfaces demonstrate a fundamental flaw in the application's data handling architecture, where the system assumes user input is benign rather than implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-0857 extends beyond simple script execution, as successful exploitation can lead to complete session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized administrative access. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that redirect users to phishing sites, steal session cookies, or inject malicious content that persists across multiple user sessions. The vulnerability affects any organization using MoinMoin wiki software in environments where users can create or modify content, particularly impacting collaborative platforms, internal documentation systems, and knowledge management solutions. Organizations with insufficient security monitoring may remain unaware of exploitation attempts, allowing attackers to maintain persistent access to sensitive information. The widespread adoption of wiki platforms in enterprise environments makes this vulnerability particularly concerning as it can compromise entire organizational knowledge bases and user authentication systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-0857 require immediate implementation of the vendor-provided patch to MoinMoin version 1.5.7 or later, which addresses the core input validation issues in all identified attack vectors. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization measures including HTML escaping for all user-supplied content, particularly in file names, page titles, and metadata fields. Network-based defenses such as web application firewalls can provide additional protection by monitoring for suspicious patterns in URL parameters and form data. Security teams should conduct thorough code reviews of wiki customizations and plugins to ensure no additional attack surfaces exist. Regular security assessments and user education programs should emphasize the dangers of clicking on untrusted links within wiki environments. The remediation process must include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce compatibility issues with existing wiki functionality while maintaining the security improvements necessary to protect against this specific vulnerability class.