CVE-2023-37914 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

This article provides an in-depth analysis of CVE-2023-37914, a vulnerability that poses a critical risk of privilege escalation and remote code execution in XWiki Platform.

Understanding CVE-2023-37914

CVE-2023-37914 is a vulnerability in XWiki Platform that allows users to execute arbitrary script macros, leading to remote code execution and unauthorized access to wiki contents.

What is CVE-2023-37914?

The CVE-2023-37914 vulnerability in XWiki Platform enables any user with view access to

Invitation.WebHome

to execute malicious scripts, including Groovy and Python macros. This could result in unauthorized remote code execution with full read and write access to all wiki content. The issue has been addressed in versions 14.4.8, 15.2-rc-1, and 14.10.6 of XWiki Platform.

The Impact of CVE-2023-37914

The impact of CVE-2023-37914 is severe, with a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.9 (Critical). It allows for privilege escalation and remote code execution, posing high confidentiality and integrity impacts, along with low availability impact. The vulnerability requires low privileges for exploitation and occurs over a network without user interaction.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-37914

CVE-2023-37914 is caused by improper control of the generation of code ('Code Injection') in XWiki Platform. Below are the technical details regarding this vulnerability:

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows users to execute arbitrary script macros, such as Groovy and Python, via

Invitation.WebHome

, leading to unauthorized remote code execution.

Affected Systems and Versions

XWiki Platform versions affected by CVE-2023-37914 include:

= 2.5-m1, < 14.4.8

= 14.5.0, < 14.10.6

= 15.0, < 15.2-rc-1

Exploitation Mechanism

Users with view access to

Invitation.WebHome

can exploit this vulnerability by executing script macros, allowing them to gain remote code execution capabilities.

Mitigation and Prevention

To mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2023-37914, users are advised to take the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade XWiki Platform to versions 14.4.8, 15.2-rc-1, or 14.10.6 to apply the necessary security patches.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update XWiki Platform to the latest secure versions to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

If upgrading is not possible, users can manually apply the patch on

Invitation.InvitationCommon

and

Invitation.InvitationConfig

to mitigate the vulnerability.