CVE-2014-5242 in mediawiki
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in mediawiki.page.image.pagination.js in MediaWiki 1.22.x before 1.22.9 and 1.23.x before 1.23.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via vectors involving the multipageimagenavbox class in conjunction with an action=raw value.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/28/2022
The CVE-2014-5242 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in MediaWiki's JavaScript implementation that affects versions 1.22.x prior to 1.22.9 and 1.23.x prior to 1.23.2. This vulnerability resides within the mediawiki.page.image.pagination.js file and specifically targets the multipageimagenavbox class functionality when combined with action=raw parameters. The flaw enables remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content into affected MediaWiki installations, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity across numerous wiki platforms that rely on this software infrastructure.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the multipageimagenavbox class in conjunction with the action=raw URL parameter, which allows attackers to bypass normal input validation mechanisms. When users view pages containing maliciously crafted image pagination elements, the injected scripts execute within the context of the victim's browser session, leveraging the trust relationship between the user and the legitimate MediaWiki application. This specific attack vector demonstrates a classic XSS vulnerability where untrusted data flows from user input directly into the browser without proper sanitization or encoding, creating a pathway for malicious code execution.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-5242 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user credentials, redirect victims to malicious websites, or even modify content within the wiki environment. Given that MediaWiki powers numerous high-profile websites including Wikipedia and various corporate knowledge bases, the potential for widespread compromise increases significantly. The vulnerability affects not only end users but also administrators who might inadvertently view maliciously crafted content, creating opportunities for privilege escalation attacks that could result in complete system compromise.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability primarily involve upgrading to patched versions of MediaWiki 1.22.9 or 1.23.2, which implement proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should also implement comprehensive content security policies, deploy web application firewalls to monitor for suspicious parameter patterns, and conduct regular security assessments of their wiki environments. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a common attack pattern categorized under the ATT&CK framework's T1059.001 technique for command and scripting interpreter usage, as attackers can leverage the injected scripts to execute arbitrary commands within user browsers and potentially gain further access to the underlying systems through session manipulation and data exfiltration techniques.