#VU56983 Security restrictions bypass in MediaWiki - CVE-2021-41801

Vulnerability identifier: #VU56983

Vulnerability risk: Medium

CVSSv4.0: 4.9 [CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/U:Green]

CVE-ID: CVE-2021-41801

CWE-ID: CWE-264

Exploitation vector: Network

Exploit availability: No

Vulnerable software:
MediaWiki
Web applications / CMS

Vendor: MediaWiki.org

Description

The vulnerability allows a remote attacker to bypass security checks.

The vulnerability exists due to application does not properly check permissions when executing jobs. A remote user can execute actions, such as global replacement of text in wiki articles even after their permissions have been revoked.

Mitigation
Install updates from vendor's website.

Vulnerable software versions

MediaWiki: 1.30.0 - 1.36.1

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External links
https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/mediawiki-announce@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/2IFS5CM2YV4VMSODPX3J2LFHKSEWVFV5/
https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T279090

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Q & A

Can this vulnerability be exploited remotely?

Yes. This vulnerability can be exploited by a remote authenticated user via the Internet.

Is there known malware, which exploits this vulnerability?

No. We are not aware of malware exploiting this vulnerability.