CVE-2025-49582 Overview
CVE-2025-49582 affects XWiki, a generic open-source wiki platform. The flaw resides in the required rights analyzers that warn users about dangerous macros authored by lower-privileged accounts. These analyzers are incomplete, allowing an attacker to conceal malicious script macros inside macro parameters that are never inspected. When a privileged user later edits the affected page, the hidden Groovy or Python macros execute with that user's programming rights, resulting in remote code execution. The issue is tracked under [CWE-357] (Insufficient UI Warning of Dangerous Operations) and has been resolved in XWiki 16.4.7, 16.10.3, and 17.0.0.
Critical Impact
A low-privileged attacker can plant hidden script macros that execute as a programming-rights user, leading to remote code execution on the XWiki server.
Affected Products
- XWiki Platform versions prior to 16.4.7
- XWiki Platform 16.5.0 through 16.10.2
- XWiki Platform 17.0.0 RC1
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-06-13 - CVE-2025-49582 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-49582
Vulnerability Analysis
XWiki introduced required rights analyzers in 15.9RC1 to warn editors when content contains dangerous macros authored by users with fewer rights. The analyzers inspect macro parameters and content for suspicious XWiki syntax that could lead to privileged execution. CVE-2025-49582 exists because the analyzers fail to normalize parameter casing and skip several parameter types entirely. An attacker with edit access can author macro payloads that bypass the warning mechanism, leaving an editor with no visible indication that the page contains hostile content. When the editor saves the page, the embedded script macros execute with the editor's rights, which typically include programming rights for administrators.
Root Cause
The required rights analyzers do not lowercase parameter names before comparison, so attacker-supplied parameters with mixed case escape inspection. Additional parameters that can carry XWiki syntax, such as the titles of information boxes, are not analyzed at all. The source parameter of the content and context macros is also skipped despite being able to contain arbitrary XWiki syntax. These gaps allow Groovy and Python macro payloads to be hidden from the warning subsystem.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires an authenticated low-privileged user with edit access to a page. The attacker injects a script macro whose dangerous payload sits inside an unanalyzed parameter or uses non-lowercase parameter names. The page renders without warnings to an administrator or other user holding programming rights. When that privileged user opens the page for editing and saves it, the embedded macros run in the editor's security context, achieving remote code execution on the XWiki host.
No public proof-of-concept code is available. Refer to the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-c32m-27pj-4xcj and the linked JIRA tickets XWIKI-22758, XWIKI-22759, XWIKI-22763, and XWIKI-22799 for technical specifics.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-49582
Indicators of Compromise
- Wiki pages containing {{groovy}}, {{python}}, {{velocity}}, or {{script}} macros whose parameter names use mixed or upper case rather than lowercase.
- Pages that place XWiki syntax inside the source parameter of {{content}} or {{context}} macros.
- Information box macros ({{info}}, {{warning}}, {{error}}) whose title parameter contains nested macro syntax.
- Unexpected process spawning, outbound network connections, or file writes originating from the XWiki Java application process.
Detection Strategies
- Audit page revisions authored by low-privileged accounts for embedded script macros, paying special attention to non-lowercase parameter names.
- Compare rendered output of suspicious pages with and without programming rights to identify hidden execution branches.
- Hunt application logs for Groovy or Python compilation events on pages edited by administrative users shortly after low-privileged contributions.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward XWiki application and access logs to a centralized analytics platform and alert on macro execution events tied to administrator sessions.
- Monitor the underlying servlet container process for unexpected child processes, shell invocations, or new outbound sockets.
- Track changes to the XWikiPreferences document and any pages located under administrative spaces.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-49582
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade XWiki to 16.4.7, 16.10.3, or 17.0.0 without delay.
- Review all pages recently edited or created by low-privileged contributors before any administrator opens them for editing.
- Restrict edit permissions on sensitive spaces to trusted accounts until the upgrade is complete.
Patch Information
The XWiki project addressed CVE-2025-49582 across four commits that extend the required rights analyzers. See commit 0a705e8, commit 3d451e9, commit abdcefc, and commit cc74dc8. Fixed versions are 16.4.7, 16.10.3, and 17.0.0.
Workarounds
- Disable the Groovy, Python, and Velocity macros for users who do not require them by tightening script rights on the wiki.
- Require administrative review of any page authored by a non-administrator before opening it in the wiki editor.
- Operate the XWiki servlet under a Java SecurityManager profile that blocks process execution and arbitrary file writes.
# Verify the installed XWiki version against fixed releases
curl -s https://wiki.example.com/xwiki/bin/view/Main/ | grep -i "xwiki.*version"
# Fixed versions: 16.4.7, 16.10.3, 17.0.0
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
