CVE-2024-55879 is a critical-severity (CVSS 9.1) CWE-862 vulnerability in org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-administration-ui. A fix is available for org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-administration-ui — see the affected versions and patch details below.
XWiki allows RCE from script right in configurable sections
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-2024-55879.
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-2024-55879 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 377,333 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-administration-ui☕org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-administration-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 script rights can perform arbitrary remote code execution by adding instances of XWiki.ConfigurableClass to any page. This compromises the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the whole XWiki installation.
To reproduce on a instance, as a user with script rights, edit your user profile and add an object of type XWiki.ConfigurableClass ("Custom configurable sections").
Set "Display in section" and "Display in category" to other, "Scope" to Wiki and all spaces and "Heading" to:
#set($codeToExecute = 'Test') #set($codeToExecuteResult = '{{async}}{{groovy}}services.logging.getLogger("attacker").error("Attack from Heading succeeded!"){{/groovy}}{{/async}}')
Save the page and view it, then add ?sheet=XWiki.AdminSheet&viewer=content§ion=other to the URL.
If the logs contain "attacker - Attack from Heading succeeded!", then the instance is vulnerable.
Patches
This has been patched in XWiki 15.10.9 and 16.3.0.
Workarounds
We're not aware of any workaround except upgrading.
References
- https://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XWIKI-21207
- https://github.com/xwiki/xwiki-platform/commit/8493435ff9606905a2d913607d6c79862d0c168d
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-administration-ui | ≥ 2.3&&< 15.10.9 | 15.10.9org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-administration-ui:15.10.9 |
| ☕Maven | org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-administration-ui | ≥ 16.0.0-rc-1&&< 16.3.0 | 16.3.0org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-administration-ui:16.3.0 |
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-administration-ui, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.xwiki.platform:xwiki-platform-administration-ui to 15.10.9 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2024-55879 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-2024-55879 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2024-55879. 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-2024-55879 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2024-55879 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.