CVE-2023-35158 Scanner

XWiki is a versatile open-source wiki platform designed for creating websites and collaborative content such as intranets and knowledge bases. It is utilized by organizations, educational institutions, and communities for managing knowledge and enhancing collaboration. The platform's extensibility and runtime services allow it to support various applications, making it a popular choice for projects requiring dynamic content management. With integration capabilities and customizability, XWiki serves diverse application needs, providing users with efficient knowledge management solutions. The platform supports numerous custom extensions and plugins, enabling developers to tailor its functionality according to specific requirements. As a dynamic and collaborative platform, XWiki is instrumental in facilitating communication and information sharing within organizations.

The vulnerability detected in XWiki is Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), a common web security issue that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages. This XSS vulnerability permits attackers to execute JavaScript in the context of a victim's browser, which could lead to unauthorized actions such as cookie theft or data manipulation. It poses significant security risks by allowing attackers to control a user's session or redirect them to malicious sites. The vulnerability is particularly serious because it requires minimal privileges to exploit and can be triggered by crafting a specific URL. When exploited successfully, it can disrupt the integrity and confidentiality of the affected web application and its users. XSS vulnerabilities like this compromise user interactions and the overall trustworthiness of web platforms.

The technical details of this Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability involve the exploitation of XWiki's restore template, which can be manipulated by a constructed URL. Attackers use an endpoint at '/xwiki/bin/view/XWiki/Main?xpage=restore&showBatch=true&xredirect=', where the 'xredirect' parameter can be modified to include malicious JavaScript, such as 'javascript:alert(document.domain)'. This manipulation causes the injected script to execute when the victim accesses the crafted link. The vulnerability exists because of insufficient input validation on the 'xredirect' parameter, which allows for arbitrary script execution. The presence of the href="javascript:alert(document.domain)">Cancel</a> in the response body confirms the success of the attack. The manifestation of this XSS issue highlights oversights in input sanitization, an essential step to block such attacks.

If exploited, the Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability in XWiki can have several detrimental effects. Malicious actors could execute unauthorized scripts, resulting in session hijacking and data exposure for unsuspecting users. Personal data, session cookies, and credentials could be compromised, leading to identity theft or unauthorized account access. Additionally, attackers might redirect users to phishing sites, facilitating further cyber attacks. The reputation of the affected organization could suffer as users lose trust in the security posture of their web services. Furthermore, administrative and security teams might face increased workloads as they respond to breaches and mitigate damages. Overall, the exploit can lead to financial and reputational damages, alongside breaches of privacy and data protection regulations.

REFERENCES

• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-35158