CVE-2015-8003 in MediaWiki
Summary
by MITRE
MediaWiki before 1.23.11, 1.24.x before 1.24.4, and 1.25.x before 1.25.3 does not throttle file uploads, which allows remote authenticated users to have unspecified impact via multiple file uploads.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/20/2018
MediaWiki versions prior to 1.23.11, 1.24.x prior to 1.24.4, and 1.25.x prior to 1.25.3 contain a critical security flaw that lacks proper rate limiting mechanisms for file upload operations. This vulnerability resides in the core file handling system of the popular wiki platform, where authenticated users can exploit the absence of upload throttling to overwhelm system resources through multiple simultaneous file uploads. The flaw represents a classic resource exhaustion attack vector that can lead to various detrimental outcomes including denial of service conditions and potential system instability. This vulnerability maps directly to CWE-770, which describes the allocation of resources without proper limits or throttling mechanisms. The impact of this flaw extends beyond simple resource consumption as it enables attackers to potentially exhaust system memory, disk space, or processing capabilities through coordinated upload activities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from MediaWiki's failure to implement proper rate limiting controls during file upload operations. When authenticated users submit multiple files simultaneously, the system lacks mechanisms to monitor and restrict the frequency or volume of uploads within a given time period. This absence of throttling allows malicious actors to perform rapid successive uploads that can overwhelm the underlying infrastructure. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires only authenticated access, meaning that users with legitimate accounts can exploit this weakness to cause system degradation. Attackers can leverage this flaw to create a denial of service condition by consuming all available upload slots or by filling storage volumes with large files, effectively preventing legitimate users from performing their normal file upload operations.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for organizations relying on MediaWiki platforms for collaborative content management. The unspecified impact mentioned in the CVE description encompasses various potential consequences including complete service disruption, performance degradation, and potential data loss scenarios. The vulnerability can be exploited by both malicious insiders and external attackers who have gained legitimate authentication credentials. Organizations may experience cascading effects where the resource exhaustion leads to database corruption, application crashes, or system-wide instability. The attack surface is particularly broad since MediaWiki is widely deployed across educational institutions, corporate environments, and open source communities where file sharing and collaboration are core functionalities.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve implementing proper rate limiting and upload throttling mechanisms within the MediaWiki configuration. System administrators should upgrade to patched versions of MediaWiki that include built-in upload throttling controls and resource monitoring capabilities. The implementation of upload size limits, frequency caps, and concurrent upload restrictions provides effective protection against this class of attack. Security configurations should include monitoring for unusual upload patterns and automated alerts when thresholds are exceeded. Organizations should also consider implementing additional layers of protection such as network-level rate limiting, database query monitoring, and comprehensive logging of file upload activities to detect potential abuse. The remediation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001 which addresses resource exhaustion attacks through proper system monitoring and rate limiting controls. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to ensure that upload mechanisms remain properly secured against similar vulnerabilities.