CVE-2024-43401: In XWiki Platform, payloads stored in content is executed when a user with script/programming right edit them

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.

• 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 0.7%, percentile 52: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.7% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 52% 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-web-templates (Maven) < 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 offering runtime services for applications built on top of it. A user without script/programming right can trick a user with elevated rights to edit a content with a malicious payload using a WYSIWYG editor. The user with elevated rights is not warned beforehand that they are going to edit possibly dangerous content. The payload is executed at edit time. This vulnerability has been patched in XWiki 15.10RC1.

From the GitHub advisory

Impact

A user without script/programming right can trick a user with elevated rights to edit a content with a malicious payload using a WYSIWYG editor. The user with elevated rights is not warned beforehand that they are going to edit possibly dangerous content. The payload is executed at edit time.

Patches

This vulnerability has been patched in XWiki 15.10RC1.

Workarounds

Weakness type: CWE-269, CWE-862.

Product: org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-web-templates (Maven) · Assigned by: GitHub_M · Published: 2024-08-19

Affected and fixed versions

Severity scores

• Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
• Attack complexity: low
• Attack requirements: none
• Privileges required: low (any account)
• User interaction: passive

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): 0.68% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 52.

Timeline

• 2024-08-19 — CVE record published by GitHub_M
• 2024-08-19 — GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-f963-4cq8-2gw7 published (critical)
• 2024-08-21 — 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-f963-4cq8-2gw7 github.com
2. CVE.org record CVE-2024-43401 cve.org
3. NVD entry CVE-2024-43401 nvd.nist.gov

Other references from the CVE record and advisory

1. github.com github.com
2. jira.xwiki.org jira.xwiki.org
3. jira.xwiki.org jira.xwiki.org
4. jira.xwiki.org jira.xwiki.org
5. jira.xwiki.org jira.xwiki.org
6. jira.xwiki.org jira.xwiki.org
7. jira.xwiki.org jira.xwiki.org
8. jira.xwiki.org jira.xwiki.org
9. jira.xwiki.org jira.xwiki.org
10. jira.xwiki.org jira.xwiki.org
11. jira.xwiki.org jira.xwiki.org
12. jira.xwiki.org jira.xwiki.org
13. jira.xwiki.org jira.xwiki.org

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