CVE-2021-36130 : What You Need to Know

An XSS issue was discovered in the SocialProfile extension in MediaWiki through version 1.36. This vulnerability allowed a privileged user with the awardmanage right to inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript within various gift-related data fields, potentially leading to the propagation of attacks across multiple pages for many users.

Understanding CVE-2021-36130

This section delves into the details of the CVE-2021-36130 vulnerability.

What is CVE-2021-36130?

CVE-2021-36130 refers to a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability found in the SocialProfile extension of MediaWiki up to version 1.36. It allowed a privileged user to execute arbitrary scripts on gift-related special pages.

The Impact of CVE-2021-36130

The impact of this vulnerability could potentially enable malicious actors to execute harmful scripts within the context of a privileged user, leading to unauthorized access and potential propagation of attacks across numerous pages.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-36130

Let's explore the technical aspects of CVE-2021-36130.

Vulnerability Description

The XSS flaw in the SocialProfile extension of MediaWiki allowed users with specific privileges to include malicious HTML and JavaScript code within gift-related data fields.

Affected Systems and Versions

MediaWiki versions up to 1.36 were impacted by this vulnerability, specifically affecting gift-related special pages.

Exploitation Mechanism

A privileged user with the awardmanage right could leverage this vulnerability to inject harmful scripts across various gift-related data fields, potentially affecting multiple users.

Mitigation and Prevention

Here are the necessary steps to mitigate and prevent exploitation of CVE-2021-36130.

Immediate Steps to Take

It is recommended to update MediaWiki to version 1.36 or later to address this vulnerability. Additionally, restrict privileges for users to minimize the impact of potential attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement secure coding practices and regularly monitor and audit user input for potential malicious scripts to prevent XSS vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories related to MediaWiki and promptly apply patches and updates to protect your systems from known vulnerabilities.