# CVE-2023-50721: XWiki Platform RCE from account through SearchAdmin > Authenticated users can inject Groovy scripts via search UI extensions to achieve remote code execution on the XWiki server. - **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Any signed-in user - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 15 Dec 2023 - **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024 - **Also known as:** GHSA-7654-vfh6-rw6x ## What is CVE-2023-50721? CVE-2023-50721 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Xwiki Xwiki, published on 15 Dec 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim. ### Official description XWiki Platform is a generic wiki platform. Starting in 4.5-rc-1 and prior to versions 14.10.15, 15.5.2, and 15.7-rc-1, the search administration interface doesn't properly escape the id and label of search user interface extensions, allowing the injection of XWiki syntax containing script macros including Groovy macros that allow remote code execution, impacting the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the whole XWiki instance. This attack can be executed by any user who can edit some wiki page like the user's profile (editable by default) as user interface extensions that will be displayed in the search administration can be added on any document by any user. The necessary escaping has been added in XWiki 14.10.15, 15.5.2 and 15.7RC1. As a workaround, the patch can be applied manually applied to the page `XWiki.SearchAdmin`. Weakness: CWE-95 (Improper Neutralization of Directives in Dynamically Evaluated Code), CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-50721? 6 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-search-ui. It affects 1 product. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-search-ui` | Maven | From 15.0-rc-1 | 15.5.2 | | `org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-search-ui` | Maven | From 15.0-rc-1 | 15.5.2 | | `org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-search-ui` | Maven | From 15.6-rc-1 | 15.7-rc-1 | | `org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-search-ui` | Maven | From 15.6-rc-1 | 15.7-rc-1 | | `org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-search-ui` | Maven | From 4.5-rc-1 | 14.10.15 | | `org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-search-ui` | Maven | From 4.5-rc-1 | 14.10.15 | Products: Xwiki Xwiki. ## How do I fix CVE-2023-50721? Upgrade org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-search-ui to a fixed version for your release line: 15.5.2, 15.7-rc-1 or 14.10.15. ## Is CVE-2023-50721 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-50721 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Other vulnerabilities in Xwiki Xwiki - [CVE-2025-24893](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-24893/): XWiki Platform Eval Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2025-53836](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-53836/): XWiki Rendering is vulnerable to RCE attacks when processing nested macros (critical 10.0) - [CVE-2024-55662](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-55662/): XWiki allows remote code execution through the extension sheet (critical 10.0) - [CVE-2024-55877](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-55877/): XWiki allows remote code execution from account through macro descriptions and XWiki.XWikiSyntaxMacrosList (critical 10.0) - [CVE-2024-37901](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-37901/): XWiki Platform vulnerable to remote code execution from account via SearchSuggestConfigSheet (critical 10.0) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2023-50721 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2023-50721 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Xwiki Xwiki, published on 15 Dec 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-50721 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected packages and fixed versions: - org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-search-ui (Maven): affected from 15.0-rc-1; fixed in 15.5.2 - org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-search-ui (Maven): affected from 15.0-rc-1; fixed in 15.5.2 - org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-search-ui (Maven): affected from 15.6-rc-1; fixed in 15.7-rc-1 - org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-search-ui (Maven): affected from 15.6-rc-1; fixed in 15.7-rc-1 - org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-search-ui (Maven): affected from 4.5-rc-1; fixed in 14.10.15 - org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-search-ui (Maven): affected from 4.5-rc-1; fixed in 14.10.15 Task: 1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies. 2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it. 3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead. 4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why. 5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing. Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-50721/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-50721/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-50721 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-50721 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-50721 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-50721/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.