CVE-2021-32729 — xwiki-platform-security-a…
MEDIUMCVE-2021-32729 is a medium-severity (CVSS 5.4) CWE-693 vulnerability in org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-security-authentication-script. A fix is available for org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-security-authentication-script — see the affected versions and patch details below.
A user without PR can reset user authentication failures information
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2021-32729 by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). Outside the shaded patch-first corner.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 385,738 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Counts from FIRST.org, log-scaled.
Real-World Exposure
org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-security-authentication-script☕org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-security-authentication-scriptReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Impact
The script service method used to reset the authentication failures record can be executed by any user with Script rights and does not require Programming rights as it should have. Note that being able to reset the authentication failure record mean that an attacker with script right might use it to try performing a bruteforce attack since she'd been able to virtually deactivate the mechanism introduced to mitigate those attacks.
Patches
The problem has been patched in version 12.6.8, 12.10.4 and 13.0.
Workarounds
There's no workaround besides upgrading and being careful on which user should have Script right access. Note that any bruteforce attack on the authentication should be visible in the logs since the authentication failures are logged.
References
https://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XWIKI-18276
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
- Open an issue in Jira
- Email us at the security mailing-list
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-security-authentication-script | ≥ 11.6&&< 12.6.8 | 12.6.8org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-security-authentication-script:12.6.8 |
| ☕Maven | org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-security-authentication-script | ≥ 12.7&&< 12.10.4 | 12.10.4org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-security-authentication-script:12.10.4 |
Affected Products
xwikixwikiDetection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-security-authentication-script, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-security-authentication-script to 12.6.8 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2021-32729 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2021-32729 in your dependencies?
Find it across Maven, including transitive dependencies.