Summary
XWiki users can be tricked to execute scripts as the create page action doesn't display the page's title
Workarounds
It is possible to manually patch the modified files from the patch in an existing installation. For the JavaScript change, the minified JavaScript file would need to be obtained from a build of XWiki and replaced accordingly.
Impact
In XWiki, it is possible to pass a title to the page creation action that isn't displayed at first but then executed in the second step. This can be used by an attacker to trick a victim to execute code, allowing script execution if the victim has script right or remote code execution including full access to the XWiki instance if the victim has programming right.
For the attack to work, the attacker needs to convince the victim to visit a link like <xwiki-host>/xwiki/bin/create/NonExistingSpace/WebHome?title=$services.logging.getLogger(%22foo%22).error(%22Script%20executed!%22) where <xwiki-host> is the URL of the Wiki installation and to then click on the "Create" button on that page. The page looks like a regular XWiki page that the victim would also see when clicking the button to create a page that doesn't exist yet, the malicious code is not displayed anywhere on that page. After clicking the "Create" button, the malicious title would be displayed but at this point, the code has already been executed and the attacker could use this code also to hide the attack, e.g., by redirecting the victim again to the same page with an innocent title. It thus seems plausible that this attack could work if the attacker can place a fake "create page" button on a page which is possible with edit right.
CVE-2023-45135 has a CVSS score of 9.0 (Critical). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and user interaction required. 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 (14.10.12, 15.5-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 14.10.2 and 15.5RC1 by displaying the title already in the first step such that the victim can notice the attack before continuing.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2023-45135? CVE-2023-45135 is a critical-severity security vulnerability in org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-web-templates (maven), affecting versions < 14.10.12. It is fixed in 14.10.12, 15.5-rc-1.
- How severe is CVE-2023-45135? CVE-2023-45135 has a CVSS score of 9.0 (Critical). 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 packages are affected by CVE-2023-45135?
org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-web-templates(maven) (versions < 14.10.12)org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-web(maven) (versions >= 7.2-milestone-2, < 14.10.12)
- Is there a fix for CVE-2023-45135? Yes. CVE-2023-45135 is fixed in 14.10.12, 15.5-rc-1. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2023-45135 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-45135 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-2023-45135 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-2023-45135?
- Upgrade
org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-web-templatesto 14.10.12 or later - Upgrade
org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-web-templatesto 15.5-rc-1 or later - Upgrade
org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-webto 14.10.12 or later
- Upgrade