CVE-2007-4883 in MediaWiki
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the BotQuery extension in MediaWiki 1.7.x and earlier before SVN 20070910 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors, a similar issue to CVE-2007-4828.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/08/2018
The CVE-2007-4883 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the BotQuery extension of MediaWiki versions 1.7.x and earlier, specifically before the SVN revision of September 10, 2007. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is a fundamental web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The issue manifests through unspecified vectors within the BotQuery extension, which is designed to track and manage bot activity on MediaWiki installations, making it a particularly concerning flaw given the widespread use of MediaWiki platforms across various organizations and websites.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers can inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code through the BotQuery extension's input handling mechanisms. This typically involves manipulating parameters or data fields within the extension's functionality to bypass existing input validation and sanitization measures. The vulnerability's similarity to CVE-2007-4828 indicates a pattern of implementation flaws within the MediaWiki codebase where extension components fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in web responses. This type of vulnerability enables attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of victims.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-4883 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can compromise the integrity and confidentiality of MediaWiki installations that rely on the BotQuery extension for bot management. When exploited, this vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate the behavior of legitimate users who access affected MediaWiki sites, potentially enabling them to perform actions such as modifying content, stealing session cookies, or redirecting users to malicious websites. The BotQuery extension's role in tracking automated activities makes it particularly attractive to attackers who might seek to manipulate bot detection mechanisms or use the vulnerability to establish persistent access patterns. Organizations using vulnerable MediaWiki installations face significant risks including unauthorized content modification, data breaches, and potential compromise of user credentials through session hijacking techniques.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-4883 primarily involve upgrading to MediaWiki versions that contain patches for this vulnerability, specifically those released after the mentioned SVN revision of September 10, 2007. System administrators should also implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding measures within their web applications, particularly for data originating from extension components like BotQuery. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-79 emphasizes the importance of proper data sanitization practices, including the implementation of Content Security Policy headers and the use of established XSS prevention libraries. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their MediaWiki installations, review extension compatibility, and maintain updated security monitoring procedures to detect and respond to similar vulnerabilities in their web applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes such vulnerabilities under the T1059.007 technique for script injection, highlighting the need for robust application-level defenses against client-side exploitation vectors.