EUVD-2024-1055

Comprehensive Technical Analysis of EUVD-2024-1055

1. Vulnerability Assessment and Severity Evaluation

Vulnerability Overview: The vulnerability in question affects the XWiki Platform, a generic wiki platform, specifically in its database search functionality. This flaw allows remote code execution (RCE) through the search text, which is accessible to all users by default. This vulnerability is present in versions starting from 2.4-milestone-1 up to but not including versions 4.10.20, 15.5.4, and 15.10-rc-1.

Severity Evaluation: The vulnerability has a CVSS Base Score of 10.0, which is the highest possible score, indicating a critical severity. The CVSS vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H breaks down as follows:

• Attack Vector (AV): Network (N) - The vulnerability is exploitable over the network.
• Attack Complexity (AC): Low (L) - The attack requires minimal complexity.
• Privileges Required (PR): None (N) - No privileges are required to exploit the vulnerability.
• User Interaction (UI): None (N) - No user interaction is required.
• Scope (S): Changed (C) - The vulnerability affects a different security scope.
• Confidentiality (C): High (H) - There is a high impact on confidentiality.
• Integrity (I): High (H) - There is a high impact on integrity.
• Availability (A): High (H) - There is a high impact on availability.

2. Potential Attack Vectors and Exploitation Methods

Attack Vectors:

• Remote Code Execution (RCE): An attacker can inject malicious code through the search text input, leading to arbitrary code execution on the server.
• Public and Closed Wikis: Both public and closed wikis are vulnerable since the database search functionality is accessible to all users by default.

Exploitation Methods:

• Crafted Search Queries: An attacker can craft specific search queries that include malicious code. When processed by the XWiki Platform, this code can be executed on the server.
• Automated Scripts: Attackers can use automated scripts to send malicious search queries to multiple XWiki instances, increasing the scale of the attack.

3. Affected Systems and Software Versions

Affected Versions:

• XWiki Platform versions from 2.4-milestone-1 up to but not including 4.10.20, 15.5.4, and 15.10-rc-1.

Patched Versions:

• XWiki 14.10.20
• XWiki 15.5.4
• XWiki 15.10RC1

4. Recommended Mitigation Strategies

Immediate Mitigation:

• Apply Patches: Upgrade to the patched versions (14.10.20, 15.5.4, or 15.10RC1) as soon as possible.
• Manual Patching: If upgrading is not immediately feasible, manually apply the patch to the Main.DatabaseSearch page.
• Disable Database Search: If the database search functionality is not explicitly used, consider deleting the Main.DatabaseSearch page to mitigate the risk.

Long-Term Mitigation:

• Regular Updates: Ensure that the XWiki Platform is regularly updated to the latest stable versions.
• Access Controls: Implement strict access controls and monitoring for the database search functionality.
• Security Audits: Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments to identify and mitigate potential vulnerabilities.

5. Impact on European Cybersecurity Landscape

Impact Analysis:

• Widespread Use: The XWiki Platform is widely used in various sectors, including education, government, and private enterprises. A critical vulnerability in such a platform can have far-reaching consequences.
• Data Breaches: The RCE vulnerability can lead to data breaches, compromising sensitive information.
• Service Disruption: The high impact on availability means that services relying on XWiki could face significant disruptions.
• Compliance Issues: Organizations may face compliance issues with regulations such as GDPR if sensitive data is compromised.

6. Technical Details for Security Professionals

Technical Overview:

• Vulnerability Type: Remote Code Execution (RCE)
• Affected Component: Database search functionality
• Exploitation Mechanism: Injection of malicious code through search text input
• Impact: Compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the XWiki installation

References:

• GitHub Advisory: GHSA-2858-8cfx-69m9
• NVD Entry: CVE-2024-31982
• GitHub Commits:
  • Commit 3c9e4bb04286de94ad24854026a09fa967538e31
  • Commit 459e968be8740c8abc2a168196ce21e5ba93cfb8
  • Commit 95bdd6cc6298acdf7f8f21298d40eeb8390a8565
• Jira Issue: XWIKI-21472
• Vicarius Analysis: XWiki RCE CVE-2024-31982

Conclusion: The vulnerability EUVD-2024-1055 in the XWiki Platform is critical and requires immediate attention. Organizations using affected versions should prioritize patching and implementing mitigation strategies to protect against potential exploitation. Regular updates and security audits are essential to maintain the integrity and security of the XWiki installations.