CVE-2012-4381: Critical severity MediaWiki MediaWiki vulnerability
A security flaw was found in the way MediaWiki, a wiki engine, performed passwords management: 1) user passwords were always saved to the local MediaWiki database (regardless of external authentication extension being in use or not), 2) also previously it was possible to use old passwords for accounts non-existing in the external authentication system indefinitely.
References: [1] http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/wiki/mediawiki/295767
Upstream bug: [2] https://bugzilla.wikimedia.org/showbug.cgi?id=39184
Upstream patch: [3] https://bugzilla.wikimedia.org/showbug.cgi?id=39184#c1
Other sources
MediaWiki before 1.18.5, and 1.19.x before 1.19.2 saves passwords in the local database, (1) which could make it easier for context-dependent attackers to obtain cleartext passwords via a brute-force attack or, (2) when an authentication plugin returns a false in the strict function, could allow remote attackers to use old passwords for non-existing accounts in an external authentication system via unspecified vectors.
Affected Software
Remediation
Patch Available
Patch Available
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Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2012-4381?
CVE-2012-4381 is considered a moderate severity vulnerability due to the potential for attackers to acquire cleartext passwords.
How do I fix CVE-2012-4381?
To fix CVE-2012-4381, upgrade to MediaWiki versions 1.18.5 or 1.19.2 and later releases.
What software versions are affected by CVE-2012-4381?
CVE-2012-4381 affects MediaWiki versions prior to 1.18.5 and 1.19.x versions before 1.19.2.
What kind of attacks can exploit CVE-2012-4381?
CVE-2012-4381 can be exploited through brute-force attacks that obtain saved passwords from the local database.
What is the impact of CVE-2012-4381 on user security?
The impact of CVE-2012-4381 on user security includes the risk of unauthorized access due to exposure of cleartext user passwords.