CVE-2025-53836 XWiki Rendering is vulnerable to RCE attacks when processing nested macros

What is CVE-2025-53836?

CVE-2025-53836 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Xwiki Xwiki, published on 14 Jul 2025. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

XWiki Rendering is a generic rendering system that converts textual input in a given syntax (wiki syntax, HTML, etc) into another syntax (XHTML, etc). Starting in version 4.2-milestone-1 and prior to versions 13.10.11, 14.4.7, and 14.10, the default macro content parser doesn't preserve the restricted attribute of the transformation context when executing nested macros. This allows executing macros that are normally forbidden in restricted mode, in particular script macros. The cache and chart macros that are bundled in XWiki use the vulnerable feature. This has been patched in XWiki 13.10.11, 14.4.7 and 14.10. To avoid the exploitation of this bug, comments can be disabled for untrusted users until an upgrade to a patched version has been performed. Note that users with edit rights will still be able to add comments via the object editor even if comments have been disabled.

Weakness: CWE-94, CWE-863

Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-53836?

6 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-transformation-macro. It affects 1 product.

Products include Xwiki Xwiki.

How do I fix CVE-2025-53836?

Upgrade org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-transformation-macro to a fixed version for your release line: 14.4.7, 14.10 or 13.10.11.

Upgrade, and never evaluate templates, expressions or code built from user input. More about Code injection.

Is CVE-2025-53836 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-53836 exists.

Other vulnerabilities in Xwiki Xwiki

• CVE-2025-24893 XWiki Platform Eval Injection Exploited Critical 9.8
• CVE-2024-55662 XWiki allows remote code execution through the extension sheet Critical 10.0
• CVE-2024-55877 XWiki allows remote code execution from account through macro descriptions and XWiki.XWikiSyntaxMacrosList Critical 10.0
• CVE-2024-37901 XWiki Platform vulnerable to remote code execution from account via SearchSuggestConfigSheet Critical 10.0
• CVE-2024-38369 XWiki programming rights may be inherited by inclusion Critical 10.0

All Xwiki Xwiki vulnerabilities

Sources

• CVE record
• NVD
• OSV
• GitHub advisory
• How this page is made

Also known as GHSA-32mf-57h2-64x9.