CVE-2021-32729 in XWiki
Summary
by MITRE • 07/01/2021
XWiki Platform is a generic wiki platform offering runtime services for applications built on top of it. A vulnerability exists in versions prior to 12.6.88, 12.10.4, and 13.0. The script service method used to reset the authentication failures record can be executed by any user with Script rights and does not require Programming rights. An attacher with script rights who is able to reset the authentication failure record might perform a brute force attack, since they would be able to virtually deactivate the mechanism introduced to mitigate those attacks. The problem has been patched in version 12.6.8, 12.10.4 and 13.0. There are no workarounds aside from upgrading.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/09/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2021-32729 represents a critical authentication weakness within the XWiki Platform that undermines the system's security controls. This issue affects multiple versions of the platform including those prior to 12.6.88, 12.10.4, and 13.0, creating a persistent risk for organizations relying on this wiki infrastructure. The core problem lies in the improper privilege escalation mechanism within the script service component that governs authentication failure handling. The vulnerability stems from a design flaw where the authentication failure record reset functionality can be invoked by users possessing only script rights rather than the more restrictive programming rights typically required for such sensitive operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows malicious actors to exploit a fundamental security control by leveraging script execution capabilities that should not grant access to authentication management functions. This misconfiguration creates a pathway for attackers to bypass built-in protection mechanisms designed to prevent brute force attacks through authentication failure rate limiting. The flaw specifically affects the script service method responsible for resetting authentication failure records, which when improperly exposed to users with script rights, enables attackers to effectively nullify the system's defense against repeated authentication attempts. This represents a classic privilege escalation vulnerability that allows users with lower privileges to perform actions typically restricted to higher-privileged accounts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it directly enables brute force attack capabilities against authentication systems that should otherwise be protected. Attackers can systematically attempt authentication credentials without fear of triggering the built-in rate limiting mechanisms that would normally slow or block such attempts. This vulnerability essentially neutralizes the authentication failure mitigation controls that are fundamental to protecting against credential stuffing and password guessing attacks. Organizations using affected versions of XWiki Platform face significant risk of unauthorized access through automated credential testing, potentially leading to complete system compromise if administrative credentials are compromised.
Security controls and mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must prioritize immediate version upgrades to patched releases including 12.6.88, 12.10.4, and 13.0 as no viable workarounds exist for the affected versions. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control, specifically focusing on insufficient privileges for critical system functions. The issue also maps to ATT&CK technique T1110.003 which covers credential guessing through brute force attacks, demonstrating how this vulnerability enables attackers to circumvent defensive measures. Organizations should implement immediate monitoring for unauthorized script execution attempts and consider network-level restrictions to limit access to script services until full upgrades are completed. The vulnerability highlights the importance of principle of least privilege implementation and proper segregation of duties within application platforms to prevent such escalation scenarios.