CVE-2021-42042 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

An issue was discovered in SpecialEditGrowthConfig in the GrowthExperiments extension in MediaWiki through 1.36.2, allowing for HTML and JavaScript injection.

Understanding CVE-2021-42042

What is CVE-2021-42042?

An issue in SpecialEditGrowthConfig in MediaWiki allowed the injection and execution of HTML and JavaScript due to improper sanitization of a specific MediaWiki message.

The Impact of CVE-2021-42042

The vulnerability could be exploited by an attacker to inject malicious HTML and JavaScript code, potentially leading to cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks and unauthorized access to sensitive data.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-42042

Vulnerability Description

A flaw in the GrowthExperiments extension in MediaWiki through version 1.36.2 enabled the injection and execution of HTML and JavaScript through the growthexperiments-edit-config-error-invalid-title MediaWiki message.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected: SpecialEditGrowthConfig in GrowthExperiments extension in MediaWiki through 1.36.2

Exploitation Mechanism

Unauthorized users could exploit this vulnerability by injecting malicious HTML and JavaScript code through the growthexperiments-edit-config-error-invalid-title MediaWiki message.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the latest patches and updates provided by MediaWiki to fix the vulnerability.
Consider implementing input validation and sanitization mechanisms to prevent injection attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch all software components to prevent known vulnerabilities.
Conduct security audits and penetration testing to identify and address security weaknesses.

Patching and Updates

MediaWiki has released patches addressing this vulnerability. Ensure prompt installation of these updates to secure systems.