The Invisible Minefield: Weaponizing CSS in XWiki Comments
Vulnerability ID: CVE-2026-26000
CVSS Score: 5.3
Published: 2026-02-12
A UI redressing vulnerability (Clickjacking) in XWiki Platform allows unauthenticated attackers to hijack user clicks via CSS injection in comments. By overlaying invisible anchors on the interface, attackers can silently redirect users to malicious domains, turning a trusted wiki into a phishing launchpad.
TL;DR
XWiki allowed users to inject raw CSS in comments without adequate scoping. Attackers can use this to create a page-wide, invisible link (position: fixed; width: 100vw;) that sits on top of the UI. Clicking anywhere on the wiki triggers a redirect to an attacker-controlled site. The fix involves a JavaScript interceptor that prompts users before leaving the domain.
⚠️ Exploit Status: POC
Technical Details
- CWE ID: CWE-1021
- Attack Vector: Network (CSS Injection)
- CVSS v4.0: 5.3 (Medium)
- Privileges Required: None
- User Interaction: Passive (Click required)
- Exploit Status: PoC Available
Affected Systems
- XWiki Platform
-
XWiki Platform: < 16.10.13 (Fixed in:
16.10.13) -
XWiki Platform: >= 17.0.0-rc-1, < 17.4.6 (Fixed in:
17.4.6) -
XWiki Platform: >= 17.5.0, < 17.9.0 (Fixed in:
17.9.0)
Code Analysis
Commit: 29cb81f
Implementation of Frontend Link Protection infrastructure
Added link-protection.js and trusted-domains-configuration
Commit: 7b5a4f8
Refinement of link interception logic
Enhanced URL verification logic
Exploit Details
- XWiki Integration Tests: Functional PoC demonstrating the CSS overlay attack and subsequent redirection.
Mitigation Strategies
- Upgrade to the latest patched version immediately.
- Configure
xwiki.propertiesto enforce strict frontend URL checking. - Audit existing comments for CSS blocks containing
position: fixed.
Remediation Steps:
- For versions < 16.10.13, upgrade to 16.10.13.
- For versions 17.0.0-rc-1 to 17.4.5, upgrade to 17.4.6.
- For versions 17.5.0 to 17.8.x, upgrade to 17.9.0.
- Verify the fix by checking if
link-protection.jsis loaded in the browser developer tools. - Add
url.frontendUrlCheckEnabled=trueto yourxwiki.propertiesfile.
References
Read the full report for CVE-2026-26000 on our website for more details including interactive diagrams and full exploit analysis.
Top comments (0)