CVE-2015-2942: High severity mediawiki vulnerability

Published Apr 13, 2015
·
Updated

MediaWiki before 1.19.24, 1.2x before 1.23.9, and 1.24.x before 1.24.2, when using HHVM, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU and memory consumption) via a large number of nested entity references in an (1) SVG file or (2) XMP metadata in a PDF file, aka a "billion laughs attack," a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-2937.

Affected Software

49 affected components
MediaWiki MediaWiki<=1.19.23
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.20
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.20.1
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.20.2
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.20.3
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.20.4
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.20.5
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.20.6
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.20.7
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.20.8
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.21
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.21.1
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.21.2
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.21.3
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.21.4
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.21.5
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.21.6
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.21.7
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.21.8
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.21.9
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.21.10
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.21.11
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.22.0
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.22.1
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.22.2
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.22.3
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.22.4
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.22.5
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.22.6
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.22.7
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.22.8
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.22.9
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.22.10
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.22.11
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.22.12
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.22.13
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.22.14
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.22.15
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.23.0
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.23.1
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.23.2
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.23.3
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.23.4
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.23.5
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.23.6
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.23.7
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.23.8
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.24.0
MediaWiki MediaWiki=1.24.1

Event History

Apr 13, 2015
CVE Published
via MITRE·02:00 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·02:00 PM
Description

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2015-2942?

CVE-2015-2942 is categorized as a denial of service vulnerability due to potential high CPU and memory consumption.

2

How do I fix CVE-2015-2942?

To fix CVE-2015-2942, upgrade MediaWiki to versions 1.19.24, 1.23.9, 1.24.2 or later.

3

Which versions of MediaWiki are affected by CVE-2015-2942?

CVE-2015-2942 affects MediaWiki versions earlier than 1.19.24, 1.23.9, and 1.24.2 when using HHVM.

4

What is the nature of the attack described in CVE-2015-2942?

The attack involves a large number of nested entity references in SVG files or XMP metadata in PDF files, leading to denial of service.

5

Can CVE-2015-2942 be exploited remotely?

Yes, CVE-2015-2942 can be exploited remotely without authentication.

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203