CVE-2008-5249 in MediaWiki
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in MediaWiki 1.13.0 through 1.13.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/22/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-5249 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within MediaWiki versions 1.13.0 through 1.13.2, classified under CWE-79 as improper neutralization of input during web page generation. This vulnerability enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected web applications, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity. The unspecified vectors indicate that the flaw exists in multiple input handling mechanisms within the MediaWiki framework, making it particularly challenging to predict and prevent.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of user-supplied input within the MediaWiki application's rendering pipeline. When users submit content or interact with the platform, the system fails to properly validate or escape special characters that could be interpreted as executable script code. This weakness allows malicious actors to inject malicious payloads that execute in the browsers of other users who view the compromised content. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script injection, as it can be leveraged to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious websites.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on MediaWiki for collaborative content management, knowledge bases, or documentation systems. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this flaw without requiring physical access to the system or prior authentication. Attackers typically craft malicious input that appears legitimate to end users, making detection difficult and increasing the likelihood of successful exploitation. The vulnerability affects all users of the affected MediaWiki versions regardless of their privilege level, creating a widespread security risk across collaborative platforms.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to MediaWiki version 1.13.3 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms can provide defense-in-depth measures. The mitigation strategy should include regular security assessments, monitoring for suspicious user activity, and maintaining up-to-date security patches across all web applications. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments and T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter execution, demonstrating how XSS vulnerabilities can serve as entry points for more sophisticated attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing content security policies and web application firewalls to provide additional protection against similar vulnerabilities.