CVE-2022-41937 is a security vulnerability classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) affecting the XWiki Platform, a widely used generic wiki platform that provides runtime services for applications built on top of it. The vulnerability allows any user with view access to the wiki to modify any page by importing a specially crafted XAR package. This is a critical authorization flaw because it bypasses the intended access controls that should restrict page modifications to authorized users only. The issue affects multiple versions of XWiki Platform, specifically versions prior to 13.10.8, versions from 14.0.0 up to but not including 14.4.3, and versions from 14.5.0 up to but not including 14.6-rc-1. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on November 22, 2022, and has been patched in versions 13.10.8, 14.6RC1, and 14.6. The root cause is that the application does not properly enforce authorization checks when importing XAR packages, allowing users with only view permissions to perform unauthorized modifications. A temporary workaround involves restricting the 'Filter.WebHome' page rights and ensuring that only main wiki administrators have view or edit access to the main wiki application, or manually applying the fix described in the referenced commit (fb49b4f). No known exploits have been reported in the wild to date, but the vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the ease of exploitation and the potential for unauthorized content modification or injection of malicious content within the wiki environment.

For European organizations using vulnerable versions of XWiki Platform, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized modification of wiki content, which may include critical documentation, internal knowledge bases, or application configurations. This can undermine the integrity and reliability of information, potentially causing operational disruptions or misinformation. In environments where the wiki serves as a source of truth for business processes or compliance documentation, unauthorized changes could lead to compliance violations or legal liabilities. Additionally, attackers could leverage this flaw to inject malicious scripts or links, facilitating further attacks such as phishing or lateral movement within the network. The confidentiality impact is moderate since the vulnerability does not directly expose sensitive data, but integrity and availability could be significantly affected if attackers alter or delete important content. The ease of exploitation—requiring only view access and no authentication beyond that—makes this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations with broad or poorly managed view permissions. Given the collaborative nature of wikis, the scope of affected systems can be extensive within an organization, especially if the platform is widely used across departments.

European organizations should prioritize upgrading affected XWiki Platform instances to the patched versions 13.10.8, 14.6RC1, or 14.6 as soon as possible. Until patches can be applied, administrators should restrict the 'Filter.WebHome' page rights to ensure only main wiki administrators have view or edit access to the main wiki application. This limits the ability of unauthorized users to import malicious XAR packages. Additionally, organizations should audit current user permissions to minimize the number of users with view access, especially external or less trusted users. Implementing strict access controls and monitoring import activities for unusual or unauthorized XAR package imports can help detect exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and limiting access to the wiki platform to trusted internal networks or VPN users can reduce exposure. Regular backups of wiki content should be maintained to enable recovery in case of unauthorized modifications. Finally, reviewing and applying the code changes from commit fb49b4f can serve as an immediate manual fix if patching is delayed.