CVE-2024-31982: XWiki Platform: Remote code execution as guest via DatabaseSearch

Should you act?

High exploit likelihood

EPSS ranks it in the top 5% of all CVEs for likely exploitation in the next 30 days. This signal is computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS data; it is not an editorial verdict.

• Not in CISA KEV, but CISA’s SSVC assessment records a public proof-of-concept, so attack code exists.
• EPSS 34.5%, percentile 98: FIRST’s model estimates a 34.5% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 98% of all scored CVEs (very high). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
• Remotely reachable with no login and no user interaction. If the vulnerable service is exposed to the internet, prioritize it.
• Only applies if your dependency tree includes org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-search-ui (Maven) >= 2.4-milestone-1, < 14.10.20, fixed in 14.10.20; org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-search-ui (Maven) >= 15.0-rc-1, < 15.5.4, fixed in 15.5.4; org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-search-ui (Maven) >= 15.6-rc-1, < 15.10-rc-1, fixed in 15.10-rc-1. Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

What it is

XWiki Platform is a generic wiki platform. Starting in version 2.4-milestone-1 and prior to versions 4.10.20, 15.5.4, and 15.10-rc-1, XWiki's database search allows remote code execution through the search text. This allows remote code execution for any visitor of a public wiki or user of a closed wiki as the database search is by default accessible for all users. This impacts the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the whole XWiki installation. This vulnerability has been patched in XWiki 14.10.20, 15.5.4 and 15.10RC1. As a workaround, one may manually apply the patch to the page Main.DatabaseSearch. Alternatively, unless database search is explicitly used by users, this page can be deleted as this is not the default search interface of XWiki.

From the GitHub advisory

Impact XWiki's database search allows remote code execution through the search text. This allows remote code execution for any visitor of a public wiki or user of a closed wiki as the database search is by default accessible for all users. This impacts the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the whole XWiki installation.

To reproduce on an instance, without being logged in, go to /xwiki/bin/get/Main/DatabaseSearch?outputSyntax=plain&text=%7D%7D%7D%7B%7Basync%20async%3Dfalse%7D%7D%7B%7Bgroovy%7D%7Dprintln%28%22Hello%20from%22%20%2B%20%22%20search%20text%3A%22%20%2B%20%2823%20%2B%2019%29%29%7B%7B%2Fgroovy%7D%7D%7B%7B%2Fasync%7D%7D%20. If the title of the RSS channel contains Hello from search text:42, the instance is vulnerable.

Patches This vulnerability has been patched in XWiki 14.10.20, 15.5.4 and 15.10RC1.

Workarounds It is possible to manually apply this patch to the page Main.DatabaseSearch. Alternatively, unless database search is explicitly used by users, this page can be deleted as this is not the default search interface of XWiki.

References https://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XWIKI-21472 https://github.com/xwiki/xwiki-platform/commit/95bdd6cc6298acdf7f8f21298d40eeb8390a8565

Weakness type: CWE-95, CWE-94.

Product: org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-search-ui (Maven) · Assigned by: GitHub_M · Published: 2024-04-10

Affected and fixed versions

Severity scores

• Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
• Attack complexity: low
• Attack requirements: none
• Privileges required: none (no login)
• User interaction: none

CVSS measures how bad a flaw is if exploited, not how likely exploitation is. Read it next to the exploitation data below.

Exploitation and urgency

• CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
• CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation poc, automatable yes, technical impact total.
• FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 34.52% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 98.

Timeline

• 2024-04-10 — CVE record published by GitHub_M
• 2024-04-10 — GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-2858-8cfx-69m9 published (critical)
• 2025-09-25 — CVE record last updated

Sources and references

Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.

Vulnerability records

1. GitHub Advisory GHSA-2858-8cfx-69m9 github.com
2. CVE.org record CVE-2024-31982 cve.org
3. NVD entry CVE-2024-31982 nvd.nist.gov

Other references from the CVE record and advisory

1. github.com github.com
2. github.com github.com
3. github.com github.com
4. github.com github.com
5. jira.xwiki.org jira.xwiki.org
6. vicarius.io vicarius.io
7. vicarius.io vicarius.io
8. vicarius.io vicarius.io

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