CVE-2023-29212 in xwiki-platform-panels-ui
Summary
by MITRE • 04/16/2023
XWiki Commons are technical libraries common to several other top level XWiki projects. Any user with edit rights can execute arbitrary Groovy, Python or Velocity code in XWiki leading to full access to the XWiki installation. The root cause is improper escaping of the included pages in the included documents edit panel. The problem has been patched on XWiki 14.4.7, and 14.10.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/30/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-29212 affects XWiki Commons, which serves as foundational technical libraries supporting multiple top-level XWiki projects within the open-source wiki platform ecosystem. This weakness represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of XWiki installations by enabling authenticated users to execute arbitrary code through carefully crafted input. The vulnerability specifically targets the edit panel functionality of included documents where the system fails to properly sanitize user input, creating an avenue for code injection attacks that can compromise the entire installation.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output escaping mechanisms within the included pages feature of XWiki Commons. When users with edit permissions access the edit panel for included documents, the system does not sufficiently sanitize or escape the content being processed, allowing malicious payloads written in Groovy, Python, or Velocity scripting languages to be executed with the privileges of the affected XWiki instance. This improper handling of user-provided content creates a path for privilege escalation attacks that can ultimately lead to complete system compromise.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-29212 extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with full access to the XWiki installation environment. This includes the ability to modify or delete content, access sensitive user data, manipulate database connections, and potentially establish persistent backdoors within the system. The vulnerability affects users with edit rights, which typically includes contributors and administrators, making it particularly dangerous in collaborative environments where multiple users have elevated privileges. This weakness directly violates security principles outlined in CWE-79, which addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 for executing malicious code through scripting languages.
Organizations utilizing XWiki platforms should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to patched versions 14.4.7 or 14.10, as these releases contain the necessary fixes to address the improper escaping mechanism. System administrators should also implement additional monitoring measures to detect suspicious activity in document editing functions and consider implementing network segmentation to limit potential lateral movement if exploitation occurs. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input sanitization and output escaping in web applications, particularly those handling user-generated content, and serves as a reminder of the security implications that arise from insufficient validation of dynamic content within collaborative platforms.