CVE-2025-32974: org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-security-requiredrights-default required rights analysis doesn't consider TextAreas with default content type

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 0.4%, percentile 28: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.4% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 28% of all scored CVEs (low). 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-security-requiredrights-default (Maven) >= 15.9-rc-1, < 15.10.8, fixed in 15.10.8; org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-security-requiredrights-default (Maven) >= 16.0.0-rc-1, < 16.2.0, fixed in 16.2.0. Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

What it is

XWiki is a generic wiki platform. In versions starting from 15.9-rc-1 to before 15.10.8 and from 16.0.0-rc-1 to before 16.2.0, the required rights analysis doesn't consider TextAreas with default content type. When editing a page, XWiki warns since version 15.9 when there is content on the page like a script macro that would gain more rights due to the editing. This analysis doesn't consider certain kinds of properties, allowing a user to put malicious scripts in there that will be executed after a user with script, admin, or programming rights edited the page. Such a malicious script could impact the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the whole XWiki installation. This issue has been patched in versions 15.10.8 and 16.2.0.

From the GitHub advisory

Impact When editing a page, XWiki warns since version 15.9 when there is content on the page like a script macro that would gain more rights due to the editing. This analysis doesn't consider certain kinds of properties, allowing a user to put malicious scripts in there that will be executed after a user with script, admin, or programming rights edited the page. Such a malicious script could impact the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the whole XWiki installation.

To reproduce, as a user without script right, create a class with a TextArea property, create page with an object of that class and a Velocity macro in its content. Then, as an admin, try editing that page. Normally, there should be a warning but in vulnerable versions of XWiki, there is no warning.

Patches This vulnerability has been patched in XWiki 15.10.8 and 16.2.0.

Workarounds We're not aware of any workarounds apart from not editing pages that might have been edited by untrusted users as a user with script rights, e.g., by using separate user accounts for admin and non-admin tasks.

Weakness type: CWE-116, CWE-269.

Product: org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-security-requiredrights-default (Maven) · Assigned by: GitHub_M · Published: 2025-04-30

Affected and fixed versions

Severity scores

• Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
• Attack complexity: low
• Privileges required: low (any account)
• User interaction: required (a user must click/open something)
• 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): 0.35% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 28.

Timeline

• 2025-04-29 — GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-mvgm-3rw2-7j4r published (critical)
• 2025-04-30 — CVE record last updated
• 2025-04-30 — CVE record published by GitHub_M

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-mvgm-3rw2-7j4r github.com
2. CVE.org record CVE-2025-32974 cve.org
3. NVD entry CVE-2025-32974 nvd.nist.gov

Other references from the CVE record and advisory

1. github.com github.com
2. github.com github.com
3. jira.xwiki.org jira.xwiki.org

Critical Maven advisories · Today’s Security Digest