CVE-2024-31981
Published: 10 April 2024
Summary
CVE-2024-31981 is a critical-severity Missing Authorization (CWE-862) vulnerability in Xwiki Xwiki. Its CVSS base score is 9.9 (Critical).
Operationally, ranked in the top 3.8% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
Deeper analysis
XWiki Platform, a generic wiki platform, contains a remote code execution vulnerability in its PDF export template handling. The flaw affects all versions from 3.0.1 through 14.10.19, 15.5.3, and 15.9, and stems from missing authorization checks (CWE-862) that allow untrusted input to influence template processing during PDF generation.
An authenticated attacker with low privileges can exploit the issue over the network by supplying a malicious PDF export template. Successful exploitation yields full remote code execution with impacts across confidentiality, integrity, and availability, and the vulnerability carries a CVSS score of 9.9 due to its scope-changing effects.
The official XWiki security advisory and associated patches recommend immediate upgrade to 14.10.20, 15.5.4, or 15.10-rc-1. Where PDF templates are not in use, administrators may create the document XWiki.PDFClass, ensure it lacks a style attribute, and restrict editing rights as a temporary control; the linked GitHub commits and Jira issue XWIKI-21337 document the precise code changes applied.
EPSS scores for this CVE rose from lower values after disclosure to a peak of 0.3368 on 2025-12-11 before receding to the current 0.2414, indicating measurable post-publication exploitation interest.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2024-1314
Vulnerability details
XWiki Platform is a generic wiki platform. Starting in version 3.0.1 and prior to versions 4.10.20, 15.5.4, and 15.10-rc-1, remote code execution is possible via PDF export templates. This vulnerability has been patched in XWiki 14.10.20, 15.5.4 and 15.10-rc-1. If…
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PDF templates are not typically used on the instance, an administrator can create the document `XWiki.PDFClass` and block its edition, after making sure that it does not contain a `style` attribute. Otherwise, there are no known workarounds aside from upgrading.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Requiring an access control policy ensures authorization checks are defined and applied for critical functions.
Reviews of access controls detect missing authorization checks on critical functions or resources.
Documenting permitted unauthenticated actions prevents missing authorization by making all exceptions explicit and subject to organizational review.
Requiring attribute association with information prevents authorization from being performed without necessary security or privacy context.
Mandating authorization prior to allowing remote connections addresses missing authorization for remote access.
Mandating authorization before wireless connections are allowed prevents missing authorization for wireless access.
The control requires authorization before allowing mobile device connections, directly mitigating missing authorization for system access.
Requiring approvals for account creation and specifying authorizations ensures authorization is not missing for system access.