CVE-2023-34464 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A critical vulnerability has been discovered in XWiki that allows for stored cross-site scripting attacks. This article provides an overview of CVE-2023-34464, its impact, technical details, and mitigation steps.

Understanding CVE-2023-34464

XWiki is vulnerable to stored cross-site scripting attacks via any wiki document and the

displaycontent

or

rendercontent

template.

What is CVE-2023-34464?

XWiki Platform, a generic wiki platform, is affected by a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on the platform, impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

The Impact of CVE-2023-34464

The vulnerability allows users to insert malicious HTML code into a document, tricking other users into executing the code, leading to unauthorized actions and potential security breaches within the XWiki installation.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-34464

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

Any user who can edit a document in XWiki can create a stored cross-site scripting attack by inserting plain HTML code into the document and luring another user to access it with specific templates, allowing for unauthorized actions.

Affected Systems and Versions

XWiki versions org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-web >= 2.2.1, < 14.4.8, org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-web-templates < 14.4.8, org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-web-templates >= 14.5, < 14.10.5, and org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-web-templates >= 15.0-rc-1, < 15.1-rc-1 are affected by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

The attack occurs when a user with programming rights is tricked into visiting a document containing malicious code, enabling attackers to perform actions with the user's privileges.

Mitigation and Prevention

Understand how to protect your system from CVE-2023-34464.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update to XWiki versions 14.4.8, 14.10.5, or 15.1RC1 where the vulnerability has been patched. Limit access to potentially compromised documents to prevent exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and update XWiki installations, educate users about potential threats, and enforce secure coding practices to mitigate future vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates from XWiki and promptly apply patches to secure your system against known vulnerabilities.