CVE-2024-23179: MediaWiki · Cross-site Scripting
Source CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 6.1 Medium · fixed in 1.40.2 : update MediaWiki when convenient.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.4% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 36% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Affects
- MediaWiki before 1.40.2
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 1.40.2
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:NExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 12 Jan 2024
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
AI-suggested
To mitigate CVE-2024-23179, organizations should upgrade the GlobalBlocking extension to version 1.40.2 or later, where the vulnerability has been addressed. If immediate patching is not feasible, administrators should consider disabling the GlobalBlocking extension temporarily or restricting access to the Special:GlobalBlock page to trusted users only. Implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can help reduce the impact of XSS by restricting script execution sources. Additionally, review and sanitize all user-controllable inputs related to internationalization parameters and subtitle links in custom MediaWiki extensions or configurations. Monitoring web server logs for suspicious requests to Special:GlobalBlock with unusual uselang parameters can help detect attempted exploitation. Educating users about the risks of clicking on suspicious links and encouraging the use of updated browsers with built-in XSS protections can further reduce risk.
Description
An issue was discovered in the GlobalBlocking extension in MediaWiki before 1.40.2. For a Special:GlobalBlock?uselang=x-xss URI, i18n-based XSS can occur via the parentheses message. This affects subtitle links in buildSubtitleLinks.