CVE-2023-29523

XWiki Platform Remote Code Execution

• CVSS 8.8
• CWE-74 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')
• Input Validation and Sanitization
• Remote

XWiki Platform is a generic wiki platform offering runtime services for applications built on top of it. Any user who can edit their own user profile can execute arbitrary script macros including Groovy and Python macros that allow remote code execution including unrestricted read and write access to all wiki contents. The same vulnerability can also be exploited in other contexts where the `display` method on a document is used to display a field with wiki syntax, for example in applications created using `App Within Minutes`. This has been patched in XWiki 13.10.11, 14.4.8, 14.10.2 and 15.0RC1. There is no workaround apart from upgrading.

CVE

CVE-2023-29523

CWE

CWE-74 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')

CVSS base score

8.8

Published

2023-04-19

OWASP

A03 Injection

Orthogonal defect classification

Function

Code defect classification

Incorrect Functionality

Category

Input Validation and Sanitization

Subcategory

Command Injection

Accessibility scope

Remote

Impact

Arbitrary Code Execution

Fixed by upgrading

Yes

Solution

Update to XWiki versions 13.10.11, 14.4.8, 14.10.2, or 15.0RC1.

def update_user_profile(user_id, profile_data):
    save_user_profile(user_id, profile_data)

def display_document(document):
    return render_content(document.content)

def sanitize_user_input(user_input):
    disallowed_keywords = ['eval', 'exec', 'import', 'open', 'os', 'subprocess']
    for keyword in disallowed_keywords:
        if keyword in user_input:
            raise ValueError("Disallowed keyword detected in user input.")
    return user_input

def update_user_profile(user_id, profile_data):
    sanitized_data = sanitize_user_input(profile_data)
    
    save_user_profile(user_id, sanitized_data)

def display_document(document):
    safe_content = sanitize_user_input(document.content)
    return render_safe_content(safe_content)

@misc{vaitp:cve202329523,
  title        = {{XWiki Platform Remote Code Execution}},
  author       = {Bogaerts, Fr\'ed\'eric and Ivaki, Naghmeh and Fonseca, Jos\'e},
  year         = {2023},
  note         = {VAITP Python Vulnerability Dataset, entry CVE-2023-29523},
  howpublished = {\url{https://netpack.pt/vaitp/vulnerability/CVE-2023-29523/}}
}