Summary
Velocity execution without script right through VelocityCode and VelocityWiki property
Workarounds
There are no known workarounds.
References
Impact
It is possible in XWiki to execute Velocity code without having script right by creating an XClass with a property of type "TextArea" and content type "VelocityCode" or "VelocityWiki". For the former, the syntax of the document needs to be set the xwiki/1.0 (this syntax doesn't need to be installed). In both cases, when adding the property to an object, the Velocity code is executed regardless of the rights of the author of the property (edit right is still required, though). In both cases, the code is executed with the correct context author so no privileged APIs can be accessed. However, Velocity still grants access to otherwise inaccessible data and APIs that could allow further privilege escalation.
At least for "VelocityCode", this behavior is most likely very old but only since XWiki 7.2, script right is a separate right, before that version all users were allowed to execute Velocity and thus this was expected and not a security issue.
The application does not perform an authorization check before performing a sensitive operation. Typical impact: unauthorized access to restricted functionality or data.
CVE-2023-41046 has a CVSS score of 6.3 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (14.10.10, 15.4-rc-1); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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This has been patched in XWiki 14.10.10 and 15.4 RC1.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2023-41046? CVE-2023-41046 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-oldcore (maven), affecting versions >= 7.2, < 14.10.10. It is fixed in 14.10.10, 15.4-rc-1. The application does not perform an authorization check before performing a sensitive operation.
- How severe is CVE-2023-41046? CVE-2023-41046 has a CVSS score of 6.3 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-oldcore are affected by CVE-2023-41046? org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-oldcore (maven) versions >= 7.2, < 14.10.10 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2023-41046? Yes. CVE-2023-41046 is fixed in 14.10.10, 15.4-rc-1. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2023-41046 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-41046 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2023-41046 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2023-41046?
- Upgrade
org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-oldcoreto 14.10.10 or later - Upgrade
org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-oldcoreto 15.4-rc-1 or later
- Upgrade