CVE-2007-1055 in MediaWiki
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the AJAX features in index.php in MediaWiki 1.9.x before 1.9.0rc2, and 1.8.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the rs parameter. NOTE: this issue might be a duplicate of CVE-2007-0177.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/20/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-1055 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within MediaWiki's AJAX functionality, specifically affecting versions 1.9.x before 1.9.0rc2 and 1.8.2 and earlier. This security weakness resides in the index.php file where the rs parameter fails to properly validate or sanitize user input, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated user sessions. The flaw fundamentally stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that should have been implemented to prevent untrusted data from being directly incorporated into dynamic web content generation processes.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers craft malicious payloads containing script tags or HTML elements and submit them through the rs parameter of the AJAX endpoint. MediaWiki's insufficient sanitization routine fails to properly encode or escape special characters in the input data, allowing attackers to inject malicious code that executes in the browsers of unsuspecting users who interact with the affected wiki pages. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, where applications fail to properly validate or sanitize user-provided data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of wiki content, and redirection to malicious websites. Users who view pages containing the injected scripts may unknowingly have their browser sessions compromised, potentially leading to unauthorized access to wiki accounts with elevated privileges. The vulnerability particularly affects collaborative environments where multiple users interact with the wiki, as a single compromised page can expose numerous users to potential attacks. This weakness directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on establishing persistence through the use of malicious scripts in web applications, and T1071.001 which covers application layer protocol usage through web scripting.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the MediaWiki AJAX processing code. The recommended approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in dynamic content generation, through comprehensive encoding routines that prevent script execution in web contexts. Organizations should apply the official security patches released by MediaWiki for versions 1.9.0rc2 and 1.8.2, which include enhanced validation for the rs parameter and improved sanitization of AJAX request data. Additionally, implementing content security policies and regular security audits of web application inputs can provide additional defense layers against similar vulnerabilities. The remediation process should also include comprehensive testing to ensure that all AJAX endpoints properly handle malformed input without compromising application functionality or security.