CVE-2024-31983: XWiki Platform: Remote code execution from edit in multilingual wikis via translations

Should you act?

Critical, preconditions apply

Severe if exploited, but exploitation needs conditions that may not apply to you. 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 1.4%, percentile 73: FIRST’s model estimates a 1.4% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 73% of all scored CVEs (moderate). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
• Needs an account (low (any account)). Exposure depends on who can log in.
• Only applies if your dependency tree includes org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-localization-source-wiki (Maven) >= 4.3-milestone-2, < 14.10.20, fixed in 14.10.20; org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-localization-source-wiki (Maven) >= 15.0-rc-1, < 15.5.4, fixed in 15.5.4; org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-localization-source-wiki (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. In multilingual wikis, translations can be edited by any user who has edit right, circumventing the rights that are normally required for authoring translations (script right for user-scope translations, wiki admin for translations on the wiki). Starting in version 4.3-milestone-2 and prior to versions 4.10.20, 15.5.4, and 15.10-rc-1, this can be exploited for remote code execution if the translation value is not properly escaped where it is used. This has been patched in XWiki 14.10.20, 15.5.4 and 15.10RC1. As a workaround, one may restrict edit rights on documents that contain translations.

From the GitHub advisory

Impact

In multilingual wikis, translations can be edited by any user who has edit right, circumventing the rights that are normally required for authoring translations (script right for user-scope translations, wiki admin for translations on the wiki). This can be exploited for remote code execution if the translation value is not properly escaped where it is used. To reproduce, in a multilingual wiki, as a user without script or admin right, edit a translation of AppWithinMinutes.Translations and in the line platform.appwithinminutes.description= add {{async}}{{groovy}}println("Hello from Translation"){{/groovy}}{{/async}} at the end. Then open the app with in minutes home page (AppWithinMinutes.WebHome) in the same locale. If translations are still working and "Hello from Translation" is displayed at the end of the introduction, the installation is vulnerable.

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

Workarounds We're not aware of any workaround except restricting edit right on documents that contain translations.

References https://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XWIKI-21411 https://github.com/xwiki/xwiki-platform/commit/c4c8d61c30de72298d805ccc82df2a307f131c54

Weakness type: CWE-862.

Product: org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-localization-source-wiki (Maven) · Assigned by: GitHub_M · Published: 2024-04-10

Affected and fixed versions

Severity scores

• Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
• Attack complexity: low
• Privileges required: low (any account)
• User interaction: none
• Scope: changed (can affect other components)

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 no, technical impact total.
• FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 1.45% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 73.

Timeline

• 2024-04-10 — CVE record published by GitHub_M
• 2024-04-10 — GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-xxp2-9c9g-7wmj published (critical)
• 2024-08-13 — 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-xxp2-9c9g-7wmj github.com
2. CVE.org record CVE-2024-31983 cve.org
3. NVD entry CVE-2024-31983 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

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