CVE-2022-29906 in QuizGame Extension
Summary
by MITRE • 04/29/2022
The admin API module in the QuizGame extension for MediaWiki through 1.37.2 (before 665e33a68f6fa1167df99c0aa18ed0157cdf9f66) omits a check for the quizadmin user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-29906 represents a critical access control flaw within the QuizGame extension for MediaWiki platforms. This issue affects versions through 1.37.2 and specifically targets the admin API module that handles administrative functions for quiz management. The flaw manifests as a missing authorization check that should verify whether the requesting user possesses the necessary quizadmin privileges before executing administrative operations. This oversight creates a significant security gap that allows unauthorized users to potentially access and manipulate quiz administrative functions without proper authentication.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control mechanisms in software systems. The flaw occurs within the API module's logic where the system fails to validate user permissions against the required quizadmin role. This type of vulnerability falls under the broader category of privilege escalation issues, where attackers can elevate their access level beyond what is intended by the system's security model. The absence of this check means that any authenticated user, regardless of their actual permissions, can potentially invoke administrative functions that should be restricted to designated quiz administrators.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability exposes MediaWiki installations running the affected QuizGame extension to potential unauthorized modifications of quiz content, configuration changes, and administrative actions that could compromise the integrity and availability of educational assessment systems. The attack surface expands significantly as any user with basic account access can potentially manipulate quiz data, which could lead to data corruption, unauthorized content modifications, or disruption of educational processes. This flaw particularly affects educational institutions and organizations that rely on MediaWiki for managing quizzes and assessments, creating risks for academic integrity and data security.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability requires immediate implementation of proper access control validation within the QuizGame extension's admin API module. System administrators should upgrade to the patched version of MediaWiki that contains the fix, specifically referencing the commit 665e33a68f6fa1167df99c0aa18ed0157cdf9f66. Organizations should also review their current user permission configurations and ensure that quizadmin roles are properly assigned and validated. Additionally, implementing network-level monitoring and access logging for administrative API endpoints can help detect and respond to unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper authorization checks in web applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation tactics that attackers use to gain elevated system access. Organizations should conduct thorough security audits of their MediaWiki installations to identify and remediate similar access control weaknesses that may exist in other extensions or modules.