xwiki-commons: Improper Neutralization of Escape, Meta, or Control Sequences
CVE-2023-26055 is a critical-severity improper neutralization of escape, meta, or control sequences vulnerability in xwiki-commons from XWiki, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.9 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected xwiki-commons versions: >= 3.1-milestone-1, < 13.10.9; >= 14.0-rc-1, < 14.4.4; >= 14.5, < 14.7-rc-1. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.16% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 68% of scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Update Commons to 13.10.9 or 14.4.4 or 14.7, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| XWiki | xwiki-commons | >= 3.1-milestone-1, < 13.10.9; >= 14.0-rc-1, < 14.4.4; >= 14.5, < 14.7-rc-1 | Not stated |
| XWiki | Commons | 3.2 up to, but not including, 13.10.9; 14.4 up to, but not including, 14.4.4; 14.5 up to, but not including, 14.7; 3.1; 3.1.1; 14.4 | 13.10.9, 14.4.4, 14.7 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 9.9 | Critical | CNA (github.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 9.9 | Critical | NVD |
Official description
XWiki Commons are technical libraries common to several other top level XWiki projects. Starting in version 3.1-milestone-1, any user can edit their own profile and inject code, which is going to be executed with programming right. The same vulnerability can also be exploited in all other places where short text properties are displayed, e.g., in apps created using Apps Within Minutes that use a short text field. The problem has been patched on versions 13.10.9, 14.4.4, 14.7RC1.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Neutralization of Escape, Meta, or Control Sequences
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as escape, meta, or control character sequences when they are sent to a downstream component.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Developers should anticipate that escape, meta and control characters/sequences will be injected/removed/manipulated in the input vectors of their product. Use an appropriate combination of denylists and allowlists to ensure only valid, expected and appropriate input is processed by the system.
- While it is risky to use dynamically-generated query strings, code, or commands that mix control and data together, sometimes it may be unavoidable. Properly quote arguments and escape any special characters within those arguments. The most conservative approach is to escape or filter all characters that do not pass an extremely strict allowlist (such as everything that is not alphanumeric or white space). If some special characters are still needed, such as white space, wrap each argument in quotes after the escaping/filtering step. Be careful of argument injection (CWE-88).
- Inputs should be decoded and canonicalized to the application's current internal representation before being validated (CWE-180). Make sure that the application does not decode the same input twice (CWE-174). Such errors could be used to bypass allowlist validation schemes by introducing dangerous inputs after they have been checked.
More Improper Neutralization of Escape, Meta, or Control Sequences vulnerabilities (CWE-150)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
- github.com/xwiki/xwiki-commons/security/advisories/GHSA-8cw6-4r32-6r3hExploit
- jira.xwiki.org/browse/XCOMMONS-2498Issue Tracking
- jira.xwiki.org/browse/XWIKI-19793Exploit, Issue Tracking
- jira.xwiki.org/browse/XWIKI-19794Exploit, Issue Tracking
Other vulnerabilities in xwiki-commons
- 9.3 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.6 Critical severity
- 9.0 Critical severity
- 9.0 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
Recent Improper Neutralization of Escape, Meta, or Control Sequences vulnerabilities
- 10.0 Critical severity
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