CVE-2010-2487 in MoinMoin
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in MoinMoin 1.7.3 and earlier, 1.8.x before 1.8.8, and 1.9.x before 1.9.3 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via crafted content, related to (1) Page.py, (2) PageEditor.py, (3) PageGraphicalEditor.py, (4) action/CopyPage.py, (5) action/Load.py, (6) action/RenamePage.py, (7) action/backup.py, (8) action/login.py, (9) action/newaccount.py, and (10) action/recoverpass.py.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2487 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness affecting multiple versions of the MoinMoin wiki software ecosystem. This flaw exists across several major release branches including versions 1.7.3 and earlier, 1.8.x before 1.8.8, and 1.9.x before 1.9.3, creating a widespread impact that affects numerous installations of this popular collaborative wiki platform. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the core wiki application components, specifically targeting the handling of user-supplied content that gets rendered back to other users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through multiple attack vectors within the MoinMoin codebase, with the affected files including core page handling modules such as Page.py, PageEditor.py, and PageGraphicalEditor.py, alongside various action handlers including CopyPage.py, Load.py, RenamePage.py, backup.py, login.py, newaccount.py, and recoverpass.py. These components fail to properly sanitize user input before rendering it in web responses, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious script code that executes in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability specifically affects how the application processes and displays content that users submit through various editing and administrative interfaces, creating persistent XSS opportunities.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts and HTML content within the browser sessions of legitimate users, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and other malicious activities. The impact is particularly severe because MoinMoin wikis are commonly used for collaborative environments where users frequently create and edit content, making the attack surface expansive. Attackers can craft malicious content that gets stored in the wiki and then executed whenever other users view the affected pages, creating a persistent threat that can compromise user sessions and potentially escalate to full system compromise. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious content.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected MoinMoin installations to versions 1.8.8, 1.9.3, or later, as these releases contain the necessary input sanitization fixes. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation at multiple layers including client-side and server-side filtering, employ Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, and conduct regular security audits of wiki content. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing proper access controls and user education to reduce the risk of successful exploitation, particularly in environments where users have elevated privileges or where sensitive information is stored in wiki repositories.