MediaWiki up to 1.22.6/1.21.9 InfoAction.php sortKey cross site scripting

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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4.1$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as problematic has been detected in MediaWiki up to 1.22.6/1.21.9. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the file mediawiki/includes/actions/InfoAction.php. Performing a manipulation of the argument sortKey results in cross site scripting. This vulnerability is identified as CVE-2014-2853. The attack can be initiated remotely. Additionally, an exploit exists. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, was found in MediaWiki up to 1.22.6/1.21.9 (Content Management System). This affects some unknown functionality of the file mediawiki/includes/actions/InfoAction.php. The manipulation of the argument sortKey with an unknown input leads to a cross site scripting vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-79. The product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users. This is going to have an impact on integrity. The summary by CVE is:

Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in includes/actions/InfoAction.php in MediaWiki before 1.21.9 and 1.22.x before 1.22.6 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the sort key in an info action.

The weakness was released 03/29/2014 by Dr. Cindy Cicalese with MITRE Corporation as Bug 63251 as confirmed bug report (Bugzilla). It is possible to read the advisory at bugzilla.wikimedia.org. The public release was coordinated with the project team. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2014-2853 since 04/14/2014. The exploitability is told to be easy. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. No form of authentication is needed for exploitation. It demands that the victim is doing some kind of user interaction. Technical details and a exploit are known. The attack technique deployed by this issue is T1059.007 according to MITRE ATT&CK.

It is declared as highly functional. By approaching the search of inurl:mediawiki/includes/actions/InfoAction.php it is possible to find vulnerable targets with Google Hacking. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 73804 (MediaWiki < 1.21.9 / 1.22.6 'InfoAction.php' XSS), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family CGI abuses : XSS. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 12811 (MediaWiki Default Sort Key "InfoAction.php" Script Insertion Vulnerability).

Upgrading to version 1.21.9 or 1.22.6 eliminates this vulnerability. The upgrade is hosted for download at releases.wikimedia.org. Applying a patch is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at releases.wikimedia.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version. A possible mitigation has been published 4 weeks after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (92761), Tenable (73804), SecurityFocus (BID 67068†), Secunia (SA58262†) and SecurityTracker (ID 1030161†). Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 4.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 4.1

VulDB Base Score: 4.3
VulDB Temp Score: 4.1
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Cross site scripting
CWE: CWE-79 / CWE-94 / CWE-74
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Highly functional
Google Hack: 🔍

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 73804
Nessus Name: MediaWiki < 1.21.9 / 1.22.6 'InfoAction.php' XSS
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 867788
OpenVAS Name: Fedora Update for mediawiki FEDORA-2014-5684
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

Reaction Time: 🔍
0-Day Time: 🔍
Exposure Time: 🔍

Upgrade: MediaWiki 1.21.9/1.22.6
Patch: releases.wikimedia.org

Timelineinfo

03/29/2014 🔍
03/29/2014 +0 days 🔍
04/14/2014 +16 days 🔍
04/24/2014 +10 days 🔍
04/24/2014 +0 days 🔍
04/24/2014 +0 days 🔍
04/25/2014 +1 days 🔍
04/25/2014 +0 days 🔍
04/29/2014 +4 days 🔍
04/29/2014 +0 days 🔍
05/01/2014 +2 days 🔍
05/12/2014 +11 days 🔍
05/12/2026 +4383 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Product: mediawiki.org

Advisory: Bug 63251
Researcher: Dr. Cindy Cicalese
Organization: MITRE Corporation
Status: Confirmed
Confirmation: 🔍
Coordinated: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2014-2853 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2014-2853
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-13071
X-Force: 92761 - MediaWiki InfoAction.php cross-site scripting, Medium Risk
SecurityFocus: 67068 - MediaWiki 'InfoAction.php' HTML Injection Vulnerability
Secunia: 58262 - MediaWiki Default Sort Key "InfoAction.php" Script Insertion Vulnerability, Less Critical
SecurityTracker: 1030161 - MediaWiki Input Validation Flaw in 'includes/actions/InfoAction.php' Permits Cross-Site Scripting Attacks
Vulnerability Center: 44447 - MediaWiki before 1.21.9 and 1.22.0 through 1.22.5 Remote XSS via the \x27SortKey\x27 Field in the \x27InfoAction\x27 Script, Medium

scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20161013

Entryinfo

Created: 04/25/2014 16:21
Updated: 05/12/2026 05:54
Changes: 04/25/2014 16:21 (91), 05/27/2017 23:11 (4), 06/17/2021 17:12 (3), 12/17/2024 11:10 (16), 04/23/2025 00:27 (2), 05/12/2026 05:54 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

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