Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-26477

RCE in Xwiki 6.2.4 – 13.10.10

Public PoCHigh EPSSRCE
Published
02 March 2023
Modified
21 November 2024
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 10.0
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.75 99.5th percentile
Risk Priority 100 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-26477 is a critical-severity Eval Injection (CWE-95) vulnerability in Xwiki Xwiki. Its CVSS base score is 10.0 (Critical).

Operationally, ranked in the top 0.5% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SI-10 (Information Input Validation) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

XWiki Platform contains a remote code injection vulnerability that permits arbitrary wiki syntax, including executable Groovy, Python, and Velocity macros, to be supplied through the newThemeName request parameter together with related parameters. The flaw affects all versions beginning with 6.3-rc-1 and 6.2.4 and is tracked under CWE-94 and CWE-95.

An unauthenticated attacker can send a crafted HTTP request to any exposed XWiki instance and obtain full control over the server, including the ability to read or modify arbitrary data and execute operating-system commands. The CVSS 3.1 score of 10.0 reflects the absence of required credentials or user interaction and the complete confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact across security boundaries.

Official patches are available in the supported releases 13.10.10, 14.9-rc-1, and 14.4.6; the corresponding commits and GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-x2qm-r4wx-8gpg document the exact changes. Administrators unable to upgrade can apply the workaround by manually editing the FlamingoThemesCode.WebHomeSheet page to incorporate the same input-validation fixes.

EPSS for this CVE rose from a low baseline to a peak of 0.4926 (current value 0.4008), indicating that exploitation interest increased measurably after public disclosure.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

XWiki Platform is a generic wiki platform. Starting in versions 6.3-rc-1 and 6.2.4, it's possible to inject arbitrary wiki syntax including Groovy, Python and Velocity script macros via the `newThemeName` request parameter (URL parameter), in combination with additional parameters. This…

more

has been patched in the supported versions 13.10.10, 14.9-rc-1, and 14.4.6. As a workaround, it is possible to edit `FlamingoThemesCode.WebHomeSheet` and manually perform the changes from the patch fixing the issue.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

Likely ATT&CK TechniquesAI

Techniques this vulnerability likely enables, inferred from its description, weakness type, and attributed-actor tradecraft. Confidence is per-technique.

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Accessconfidence: HIGH
Unauthenticated remote code injection via crafted HTTP request to a public-facing XWiki application.
T1059.006 Python Executionconfidence: HIGH
Allows direct execution of arbitrary Python code through the vulnerable wiki macro parameter.
T1059.001 PowerShell Executionconfidence: HIGH
Permits execution of attacker-supplied Groovy scripts within the XWiki environment.
T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation Privilege Escalationconfidence: HIGH
Remote code execution leads to full system compromise and privilege escalation on the host.
inferred from description + CWE · MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v19.0

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-46731Same product: Xwiki Xwiki
CVE-2023-30537Same product: Xwiki Xwiki
CVE-2024-31465Same product: Xwiki Xwiki
CVE-2024-21650Same product: Xwiki Xwiki
CVE-2023-40177Same product: Xwiki Xwiki
CVE-2025-24893Same product: Xwiki Xwiki
CVE-2024-31984Same product: Xwiki Xwiki
CVE-2024-31982Same product: Xwiki Xwiki
CVE-2023-35152Same product: Xwiki Xwiki
CVE-2023-29210Same product: Xwiki Xwiki

Affected Assets

xwiki
xwiki
6.2.4 — 13.10.10 · 14.0 — 14.4.6 · 14.5 — 14.9

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)
  • SI-10 Information Input Validation
  • SI-2 Flaw Remediation
Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)
  • SI-4 System Monitoring
Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V1.3.1
  • V1.3.2

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

prevent

Directly requires validation of the newThemeName parameter and related inputs to reject arbitrary wiki syntax and executable macros before they reach the theme handler.

prevent

Mandates timely application of the vendor patches (13.10.10/14.4.6/14.9-rc-1) that add the missing input sanitization to the FlamingoThemesCode.WebHomeSheet handler.

detect

Enables monitoring of HTTP requests and script-execution events that would reveal attempts to supply malicious Groovy/Python/Velocity content via the vulnerable parameter.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices directly require input neutralization and avoidance of unsafe dynamic evaluation.

PR.DS-10 none match
prevents

PR.DS-10 protects runtime data confidentiality/integrity but has no bearing on neutralizing externally influenced input during code generation, so neither direction shows any preventive effect.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

detects

Security testing in development can detect eval injection vulnerabilities before deployment.

prevents

Secure development life cycle mandates input validation and safe coding practices that directly prevent eval injection.

prevents

Application security requirements include rules against dynamic code execution of untrusted input.

prevents

Secure architecture principles discourage unsafe dynamic evaluation constructs.

prevents

Secure coding explicitly requires neutralization of input before dynamic evaluation, directly mitigating eval injection.

none

Separation of environments limits the blast radius if eval injection occurs in non-production.

References