CVE-2017-0372 in MediaWiki
Summary
by MITRE
Parameters injection in the SyntaxHighlight extension of Mediawiki before 1.23.16, 1.27.3 and 1.28.2 might result in multiple vulnerabilities.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/28/2023
The CVE-2017-0372 vulnerability represents a critical parameter injection flaw within the SyntaxHighlight extension of MediaWiki platforms prior to specific version releases. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the extension's parameter handling processes, creating multiple attack vectors that could be exploited by malicious actors to compromise affected systems. The issue specifically affects MediaWiki versions before 1.23.16, 1.27.3, and 1.28.2, indicating a widespread impact across multiple release branches of the popular wiki software. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-94, which describes "Improper Control of Generation of Code" and falls within the broader category of code injection vulnerabilities that have been consistently identified as high-risk threats in cybersecurity assessments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the SyntaxHighlight extension processes user-provided parameters without proper sanitization, allowing attackers to inject malicious code or manipulate the extension's behavior through crafted input sequences. This flaw enables adversaries to potentially execute arbitrary code on affected systems or manipulate the rendering of syntax-highlighted code blocks in ways that could lead to information disclosure or system compromise. The extension's parameter handling mechanisms fail to properly validate or escape input parameters, creating opportunities for attackers to inject malicious payloads that could be processed as part of the code highlighting functionality. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which covers "Command and Scripting Interpreter: Python" and demonstrates how parameter injection can lead to remote code execution in web applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-0372 extends beyond simple code injection, as it can potentially enable attackers to escalate privileges within affected MediaWiki environments. Organizations running vulnerable versions of MediaWiki face significant risks including unauthorized access to sensitive information, potential data breaches, and system compromise through the exploitation of this parameter injection vulnerability. The vulnerability's presence in multiple version branches indicates that it was likely introduced through a common code pattern or design flaw that persisted across different development streams, making it particularly concerning for organizations maintaining legacy systems. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to manipulate wiki content, inject malicious scripts into code samples, or potentially gain deeper access to underlying systems through the exploitation of the affected extension.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-0372 primarily focus on immediate version upgrades to patched releases of MediaWiki, specifically versions 1.23.16, 1.27.3, and 1.28.2 where the vulnerability has been addressed through proper input validation and sanitization measures. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures including input filtering at the web application firewall level, monitoring for suspicious parameter patterns, and regular security assessments of wiki extensions. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of the patched versions to ensure that the fix does not introduce compatibility issues with existing wiki functionality. Security teams should also consider implementing principle of least privilege access controls for wiki administrators and regular security audits of all installed extensions to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of the MediaWiki ecosystem.