---
title: "CVE-2025-53836: XWiki Rendering is vulnerable to RCE attacks when processing nested macros"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2025-53836/
description: "CVE-2025-53836 (org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-transformation-macro (Maven)): XWiki Rendering is a generic rendering system that converts textual input…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2025-07-14
date_modified: 2025-07-15
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2025-53836"
kev: false
cvss: 10
epss: 0.00638
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2025-53836: XWiki Rendering is vulnerable to RCE attacks when processing nested macros

**Signal:** Critical, preconditions apply. Severe if exploited, but exploitation needs conditions that may not apply to you. (Computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS; not an editorial verdict.)

## Should you act?

- Not in CISA KEV , but CISA’s SSVC assessment records a public proof-of-concept, so attack code exists.
- EPSS 0.6% , percentile 50: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.6% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 50% 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.rendering:xwiki-rendering-transformation-macro (Maven) >= 4.2-milestone-1, < 13.10.11, fixed in 13.10.11 ; org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-transformation-macro (Maven) >= 14.0, < 14.4.7, fixed in 14.4.7 ; org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-transformation-macro (Maven) >= 14.5, < 14.10, fixed in 14.10 . Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

## What it is

XWiki Rendering is a generic rendering system that converts textual input in a given syntax (wiki syntax, HTML, etc) into another syntax (XHTML, etc). Starting in version 4.2-milestone-1 and prior to versions 13.10.11, 14.4.7, and 14.10, the default macro content parser doesn't preserve the restricted attribute of the transformation context when executing nested macros. This allows executing macros that are normally forbidden in restricted mode, in particular script macros. The cache and chart macros that are bundled in XWiki use the vulnerable feature. This has been patched in XWiki 13.10.11, 14.4.7 and 14.10. To avoid the exploitation of this bug, comments can be disabled for untrusted users until an upgrade to a patched version has been performed. Note that users with edit rights will still be able to add comments via the object editor even if comments have been disabled.

## Affected packages

- Maven `org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-transformation-macro` >= 4.2-milestone-1, < 13.10.11 → fixed: 13.10.11
- Maven `org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-transformation-macro` >= 14.0, < 14.4.7 → fixed: 14.4.7
- Maven `org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-transformation-macro` >= 14.5, < 14.10 → fixed: 14.10

## Affected products (CVE record)

- xwiki xwiki-rendering: >= 4.2-milestone-1, < 13.10.11, >= 14.0, < 14.4.7, >= 14.5, < 14.10

## Severity

- GitHub_M CVSS 3.1: 10 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`
- GitHub CVSS 3.1: 9.9 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`

## Exploitation

- 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): 0.64% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 50.

## Sources

- [GitHub Advisory GHSA-32mf-57h2-64x9](https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-32mf-57h2-64x9)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2025-53836](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-53836)
- [NVD entry CVE-2025-53836](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-53836)
- [github.com](https://github.com/xwiki/xwiki-rendering/security/advisories/GHSA-32mf-57h2-64x9)
- [github.com](https://github.com/xwiki/xwiki-rendering/commit/c73fa3ccd4ac59057e48e5d4325f659e78e8f86d)
- [jira.xwiki.org](https://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XRENDERING-689)
- [jira.xwiki.org](https://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XWIKI-20375)

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Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2025-53836/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt