CVE-2023-50720 Scanner

XWiki is a cutting-edge open-source software platform designed for creating and managing collaborative websites and project workspaces. It is predominantly used by companies and individual developers to build team collaboration sites or wikis that facilitate the sharing and management of content. Renowned for its robustness, XWiki supports a multitude of advanced features, including versioning, powerful search capabilities, and extensibility through plugins, making it flexible for various organizational needs. Its open-source nature allows customization and integration with other tools, making it an attractive choice for medium to large enterprises looking to streamline project management and content dissemination. Additionally, the platform is built on Java, ensuring compatibility across different operating systems and environments. Organizations value XWiki for its ability to manage large volumes of data efficiently and its capacity to support rich, interactive user interfaces for better team collaboration.

The email disclosure vulnerability in XWiki could potentially expose email addresses of users, despite the platform's obfuscation feature meant to protect such information. When the Solr-based search is used within XWiki's regular search interface, it inadvertently reveals email addresses, undermining user privacy. This issue arises when users perform searches using specific search strings that include 'objcontent:email*', which bypasses obfuscation processes. Consequently, this flaw can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive user information, thereby violating data protection policies and regulations. Resolving such vulnerabilities is crucial as they can lead to further social engineering attacks once user email addresses are compromised. Understanding the nature and manifestations of this vulnerability is essential for implementing effective security solutions in XWiki installations tailored to corporate and individual use.

The email disclosure vulnerability in XWiki primarily affects versions prior to 4.10.15, where the Solr-based search functionality inadvertently reveals email addresses. This occurs because the search index inappropriately includes email properties for user accounts, even when obfuscation controls are active. Attackers may exploit this flaw by crafting searches with 'objcontent:email*', resulting in email strings being displayed in search results. Additionally, the issue persists irrespective of the user’s access privileges, which classifies it as an exposure at the system level. The vulnerability is especially concerning as it requires minimal technical exploits, leveraging default search operations instead. Upon discovery, it necessitates immediate attention and rectifications, such as deprioritizing or removing email properties from the search index. Addressing this problem in the XWiki framework has involved developers ensuring that email obfuscation settings are thoroughly implemented and honored within the search index for future releases.

An exploited email disclosure vulnerability in XWiki can have serious consequences, including unauthorized access to user email addresses, which itself can lead to identity theft or targeted phishing attacks. Users whose contacts are exposed may find themselves recipients of unwanted spam or malicious communication, potentially resulting in data breaches or impersonation. This vulnerability might also compromise organizational confidentiality, especially for businesses that utilize XWiki for sensitive project management and communication. Furthermore, the exposure could erode user trust in the platform, leading to reputation damage for both the software provider and the organization using XWiki. By accessing email addresses, attackers could launch broader attacks, employing uncovered data in social engineering campaigns to manipulate users into divulging further confidential information. Therefore, recognizing and mitigating this vulnerability is crucial to maintaining data integrity and user privacy.

REFERENCES

• https://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XWIKI-20371
• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-50720