CVE-2025-32974

Workarounds

We're not aware of any workarounds apart from not editing pages that might have been edited by untrusted users as a user with script rights, e.g., by using separate user accounts for admin and non-admin tasks.

When editing a page, XWiki warns since version 15.9 when there is content on the page like a script macro that would gain more rights due to the editing. This analysis doesn't consider certain kinds of properties, allowing a user to put malicious scripts in there that will be executed after a user with script, admin, or programming rights edited the page. Such a malicious script could impact the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the whole XWiki installation.

To reproduce, as a user without script right, create a class with a TextArea property, create page with an object of that class and a Velocity macro in its content. Then, as an admin, try editing that page. Normally, there should be a warning but in vulnerable versions of XWiki, there is no warning.

The application assigns, modifies, tracks, or checks privileges incorrectly, allowing a user to gain elevated access. Typical impact: privilege escalation beyond the intended level.

CVE-2025-32974 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 (15.10.8, 16.2.0); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

This vulnerability has been patched in XWiki 15.10.8 and 16.2.0.

1. What is CVE-2025-32974? CVE-2025-32974 is a critical-severity improper privilege management vulnerability in org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-security-requiredrights-default (maven), affecting versions >= 15.9-rc-1, < 15.10.8. It is fixed in 15.10.8, 16.2.0. The application assigns, modifies, tracks, or checks privileges incorrectly, allowing a user to gain elevated access.
2. How severe is CVE-2025-32974? CVE-2025-32974 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.
3. Which versions of org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-security-requiredrights-default are affected by CVE-2025-32974? org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-security-requiredrights-default (maven) versions >= 15.9-rc-1, < 15.10.8 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2025-32974? Yes. CVE-2025-32974 is fixed in 15.10.8, 16.2.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2025-32974 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-32974 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
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2025-32974 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.
7. How do I fix CVE-2025-32974?
   • Upgrade org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-security-requiredrights-default to 15.10.8 or later
   • Upgrade org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-security-requiredrights-default to 16.2.0 or later