CVE-2023-29521 is a high-severity (CVSS 8.4) CWE-74 vulnerability in org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-vfs-ui. 2 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-vfs-ui — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Code injection from account/view through VFS Tree macro in xwiki-platform
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2023-29521.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2023-29521 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE doesn't sit, though severity or exploitability alone can still warrant action.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 378,156 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-vfs-ui☕org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-vfs-ui☕org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-vfs-uiReal-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
Any user with view rights can execute arbitrary Groovy, Python or Velocity code in XWiki leading to full access to the XWiki installation. The root cause is improper escaping of Macro.VFSTreeMacro. This page is not installed by default.
See https://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XWIKI-20260 for the reproduction steps.
Patches
The vulnerability has been patched in XWiki 15.0-rc-1, 14.10.2, 14.4.8, 13.10.11.
Workarounds
The issue can be fixed by applying this patch on Macro.VFSTreeMacro.
References
- https://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XWIKI-20260
- https://github.com/xwiki/xwiki-platform/commit/fad02328f5ec7ab7fe5b932ffb5bc5c1ba7a5b12
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
- Open an issue in Jira XWiki.org
- Email us at Security Mailing List
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-vfs-ui | ≥ 7.4-milestone-2&&< 13.10.11 | 13.10.11org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-vfs-ui:13.10.11 |
| ☕Maven | org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-vfs-ui | ≥ 14.0-rc-1&&< 14.4.8 | 14.4.8org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-vfs-ui:14.4.8 |
| ☕Maven | org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-vfs-ui | ≥ 14.5&&< 14.10.2 | 14.10.2org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-vfs-ui:14.10.2 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & 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-vfs-ui, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-vfs-ui to 13.10.11 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2023-29521 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.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2023-29521 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2023-29521. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2023-29521 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2023-29521 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.