CVE-2023-36477 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

Persistent Cross-site Scripting (XSS) through CKEditor Configuration pages in XWiki Platform

Understanding CVE-2023-36477

XWiki Platform is a generic wiki platform offering runtime services for applications built on top of it. The CVE-2023-36477 vulnerability allows any user with edit rights to edit all pages in the 'CKEditor' space, which can lead to harmful actions like removing technical documents and editing the javascript configuration of CKEditor, resulting in persistent XSS.

What is CVE-2023-36477?

The CWE-79 vulnerability arises due to improper neutralization of input during web page generation, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in a victim's browser.

The Impact of CVE-2023-36477

The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.1, categorized as critical. It can result in high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, requiring user interaction for exploitation.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-36477

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in XWiki Platform's CKEditor allows for persistent XSS exploitation, potentially disrupting services and compromising sensitive data.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: XWiki
Product: XWiki Platform
Affected Versions:

org.xwiki.contrib:application-ckeditor-ui: >= 1.9, < 1.64.9

org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-ckeditor-ui: >= 14.6-rc-1, < 14.10.6

org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-ckeditor-ui: >= 15.0, < 15.1

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can leverage the vulnerability by injecting malicious scripts through CKEditor configuration pages, exploiting the improper input neutralization.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

To address CVE-2023-36477:

Upgrade to XWiki versions 14.10.6 or 15.1 to apply the necessary patches.
Restrict 'edit' and 'delete' rights to trusted users/groups if upgrading is not feasible.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update XWiki Platform to mitigate potential vulnerabilities.
Implement a robust security policy to restrict user privileges and prevent unauthorized access.

Patching and Updates

Refer to the provided references for patch details and advisory information.