CVE-2023-29526 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This article discusses CVE-2023-29526, a critical vulnerability impacting XWiki Platform versions. It provides insights into the vulnerability, its impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies.

Understanding CVE-2023-29526

CVE-2023-29526 is a critical vulnerability in XWiki Platform that allows for displaying and interacting with any document in restricted mode using async and display macros.

What is CVE-2023-29526?

XWiki Platform, a generic wiki platform, is affected by CVE-2023-29526, enabling users to access and interact with pages they are restricted from. This vulnerability poses a code injection vector, potentially compromising server security.

The Impact of CVE-2023-29526

The impact of CVE-2023-29526 is critical, with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts. Attackers can inject malicious code, leading to unauthorized access and data manipulation.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-29526

CVE-2023-29526 allows for code injection via the async and display macros in XWiki Platform, affecting versions ranging from 10.11.1 to 14.10.3. The vulnerability has been addressed in XWiki versions 15.0-rc-1, 14.10.3, 14.4.8, and 13.10.11.

Vulnerability Description

By leveraging the async and display macros, unauthorized users can execute code on the server, breaching access restrictions and compromising data integrity.

Affected Systems and Versions

XWiki Platform versions between 10.11.1 and 14.10.3 are affected by CVE-2023-29526, allowing for code injection and unauthorized document access.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by embedding the async and display macros in comments, triggering code execution on the server without proper authorization.

Mitigation and Prevention

To mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2023-29526, users are advised to take immediate steps and implement long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users should upgrade to the latest patched versions, including XWiki 15.0-rc-1, 14.10.3, 14.4.8, or 13.10.11, to address the vulnerability and prevent unauthorized code execution.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement strict access controls, conduct regular security audits, and stay informed about security updates to prevent similar code injection vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

Regularly update XWiki Platform to the latest secure versions to ensure protection against known vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-29526.