CVE-2026-116872: Semantic MediaWiki 3.0.0 before 7.3.1 Denial of Service via Special:Search Compact Filters
Semantic MediaWiki from 3.0.0 before 7.3.1 contains an algorithmic complexity vulnerability in TermParser::normalizecompactform() that allows unauthenticated attackers to cause quadratic CPU consumption. Attackers can submit long search terms with many distinct in:(...) or has:(...) expressions to Special:Search to exhaust PHP search workers when the extended search engine is enabled.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
Semantic MediaWikito a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 7.3.1
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
Which deployments are exposed to this denial-of-service condition?
Semantic MediaWiki versions from 3.0.0 before 7.3.1 are affected when the extended search engine is enabled. The issue is reachable through the Special:Search interface.
Does exploitation require an authenticated account or user interaction?
No. An unauthenticated attacker can submit crafted search terms directly to Special:Search, and no user interaction is required.
What request pattern triggers the resource exhaustion?
An attacker submits a long search term containing many distinct in:(...) or has:(...) expressions. Processing these compact filters can consume CPU quadratically and exhaust PHP workers.
What is the practical impact of a successful attack?
The attack can exhaust PHP search workers, causing a denial of service for search processing and potentially reducing site availability.