CVE-2022-24898 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-611, which pertains to the improper restriction of XML External Entity (XXE) references. This vulnerability affects the xwiki-commons XML module, a core component used by various XWiki top-level projects. Specifically, versions starting from 2.7 up to but not including 12.10.10, versions 13.0 up to but not including 13.4.4, and versions from 13.5-rc-1 up to 13.7 are vulnerable. The issue arises due to insufficient validation or restriction of XML external entity references within the XML script service. This flaw allows an attacker who has the ability to execute scripts within the XWiki environment to perform XML External Entity Injection. Through this injection, the attacker can potentially access arbitrary files on the server with the same privileges as the user running the XWiki application server. This can lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information stored on the server. The vulnerability has been addressed in patched versions 12.10.10, 13.4.4, and 13.8-rc-1. There is no straightforward workaround other than upgrading to a patched version and exercising caution when granting script execution rights within XWiki. Notably, exploitation requires the attacker to have script execution capabilities, which implies some level of prior access or privilege within the XWiki environment. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the potential for sensitive data exposure remains significant if exploited.

For European organizations using affected versions of XWiki, this vulnerability presents a risk of unauthorized disclosure of sensitive internal files and data. Since XWiki is often used for collaborative documentation and knowledge management, exposure of internal documents, configuration files, or credentials could lead to further compromise or data breaches. The impact is particularly critical for organizations in regulated sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government, where data confidentiality is paramount. Additionally, the ability to read arbitrary files could facilitate lateral movement or privilege escalation within the network. Although the vulnerability does not directly allow remote code execution, the information disclosure could be leveraged by attackers to mount more sophisticated attacks. Given that exploitation requires script execution rights, organizations with lax access controls or extensive scripting privileges are at higher risk. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate threat but does not eliminate the risk, especially as threat actors often target widely used collaboration platforms. The impact on availability and integrity is limited, but confidentiality is significantly affected.

1. Upgrade affected XWiki instances to the patched versions 12.10.10, 13.4.4, or 13.8-rc-1 as soon as possible to eliminate the vulnerability. 2. Audit and restrict script execution rights within XWiki to the minimum necessary users and roles, ensuring that only trusted users can run scripts. 3. Implement strict access controls and monitoring on the XWiki application server to detect and prevent unauthorized script execution attempts. 4. Review and harden server file permissions to limit the scope of files accessible by the XWiki application user, reducing potential data exposure. 5. Monitor logs for unusual XML processing activity or attempts to exploit XXE vulnerabilities. 6. Consider deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block XXE attack patterns targeting XML services. 7. Educate administrators and developers about the risks of granting excessive scripting privileges and the importance of timely patching. 8. If upgrading immediately is not feasible, temporarily disable or restrict the XML script service if possible, though this may impact functionality.