CVE-2024-31997: XWiki Platform remote code execution from account through UIExtension parameters

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.

• No confirmed exploitation. It is not in CISA’s KEV catalog and CISA’s SSVC assessment records no known exploitation. That can change quickly after a public write-up; re-check if you are affected.
• EPSS 73.9%, percentile 99: FIRST’s model estimates a 73.9% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 99% of all scored CVEs (very high). 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-uiextension-api (Maven) < 14.10.19, fixed in 14.10.19; org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-uiextension-api (Maven) >= 15.0-rc-1, < 15.5.4, fixed in 15.5.4; org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-uiextension-api (Maven) >= 15.6-rc-1, < 15.9-rc-1, fixed in 15.9-rc-1. Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

What it is

XWiki Platform is a generic wiki platform. Prior to versions 4.10.19, 15.5.4, and 15.10-rc-1, parameters of UI extensions are always interpreted as Velocity code and executed with programming rights. Any user with edit right on any document like the user's own profile can create UI extensions. This allows remote code execution and thereby impacts the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the whole XWiki installation. This vulnerability has been patched in XWiki 14.10.19, 15.5.4 and 15.9-RC1. No known workarounds are available.

From the GitHub advisory

Impact Parameters of UI extensions are always interpreted as Velocity code and executed with programming rights. Any user with edit right on any document like the user's own profile can create UI extensions. This allows remote code execution and thereby impacts the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the whole XWiki installation.

To reproduce, edit your user profile with the object editor and add a UIExtension object with the following values:

Save the document and open any document. If an application entry with the text "I got programming right: true" is displayed, the attack succeeded, if the code in "label" is displayed literally, the XWiki installation isn't vulnerable.

Patches This vulnerability has been patched in XWiki 14.10.19, 15.5.4 and 15.9-RC1.

Workarounds We're not aware of any workarounds apart from upgrading.

Weakness type: CWE-862.

Product: org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-uiextension-api (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 none, automatable no, technical impact total.
• FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 73.92% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 99.

Timeline

• 2024-04-10 — CVE record published by GitHub_M
• 2024-04-10 — GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-c2gg-4gq4-jv5j 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-c2gg-4gq4-jv5j github.com
2. CVE.org record CVE-2024-31997 cve.org
3. NVD entry CVE-2024-31997 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

Critical Maven advisories · Today’s Security Digest