CVE-2025-53368

Page descriptions are inserted into raw HTML without proper sanitization by the Citizen skin when using the old search bar.

Details

The descriptions, which are unsanitized, are inserted as raw HTML:
https://github.com/StarCitizenTools/mediawiki-skins-Citizen/blob/d4dfc3697a82948b3b9c4d44e9a273c79bc86b87/resources/skins.citizen.search/templates/TypeaheadListItem.mustache#L18

PoC

All of the reproduction methods require the command palette to be disabled via $wgCitizenEnableCommandPalette = false;.
Additionally, the action API must be used as the Search Gateway via $wgCitizenSearchGateway = 'mwActionApi';.

TextExtracts as the description source

• Enable the TextExtracts extension
• Add $wgCitizenSearchDescriptionSource = 'textextracts'; to your LocalSettings.php
• Create a page called CitizenXSSTextExtracts and insert <img src="" onerror="alert('citizen search xss')"> into it
• Open the search modal and search for CitizenXSSTextExtracts

Description2 as the description source

• Enable the Description2 extension
• Add $wgEnableMetaDescriptionFunctions = true; to your LocalSettings.php to enable the {{#description2:}} parser function
• Add $wgCitizenSearchDescriptionSource = 'pagedescription'; to your LocalSettings.php
• Create a page called CitizenXSSDescription2 and insert {{#description2:<img src="" onerror="alert('citizen search xss 2')">}} into it
• Open the search modal and search for CitizenXSSDescription2

Wikibase as the description source

Note that this method is currently untested due to issues I experienced when setting up Wikibase.

• Enable Wikibase client + repo in your wiki
• Add $wgCitizenSearchDescriptionSource = 'wikidata'; to your LocalSettings.php
• Have an item with a description like <img src="" onerror="alert('citizen search xss 3')">
• Open the search modal and search for the page linked to the item

ShortDescription as the description source

• Enable the ShortDescription extension
• Add $wgCitizenSearchDescriptionSource = 'wikidata'; to your LocalSettings.php
• Create a page called CitizenXSSDescription4 and insert {{SHORTDESC:<img src="" onerror="alert('citizen search xss 4')">}} into it
• Open the search modal and search for CitizenXSSDescription4

On all wikis that use the aforementioned settings (command palette disabled or using an old release where the old search bar is still used; using the action API as the search gateway), anybody who can edit pages is able to insert XSS payloads into the DOM for other users who are searching for specific pages.

Untrusted input is rendered as active markup in a victim's browser, which can run script in their session. Typical impact: session or credential theft, and actions taken as the user.

CVE-2025-53368 has a CVSS score of 8.6 (High). The vector is network-reachable, no 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 (3.4.0); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is CVE-2025-53368? CVE-2025-53368 is a high-severity cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in starcitizentools/citizen-skin (composer), affecting versions >= 1.9.4, < 3.4.0. It is fixed in 3.4.0. Untrusted input is rendered as active markup in a victim's browser, which can run script in their session.
2. How severe is CVE-2025-53368? CVE-2025-53368 has a CVSS score of 8.6 (High). 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 starcitizentools/citizen-skin are affected by CVE-2025-53368? starcitizentools/citizen-skin (composer) versions >= 1.9.4, < 3.4.0 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2025-53368? Yes. CVE-2025-53368 is fixed in 3.4.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2025-53368 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-53368 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-2025-53368 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-2025-53368? Upgrade starcitizentools/citizen-skin to 3.4.0 or later.