CVE-2025-53835
criticalpriority · track · 0EPSS 0.004 · 35 %ileEUNLRUUSEPSS · scored 2026-10-27
XWiki Rendering is a generic rendering system that converts textual input in a given syntax (wiki syntax, HTML, etc) into another syntax (XHTML, etc). Starting in version 5.4.5 and prior to version 14.10, the XHTML syntax depended on the `xdom+xml/current` syntax which allows the creation of raw blocks that permit the insertion of arbitrary HTML content including JavaScript. This allows XSS attacks for users who can edit a document like their user profile (enabled by default). This has been fixed in version 14.10 by removing the dependency on the `xdom+xml/current` syntax from the XHTML syntax. Note that the `xdom+xml` syntax is still vulnerable to this attack. As it's main purpose is testing and its use is quite difficult, this syntax shouldn't be installed or used on a regular wiki. There are no known workarounds apart from upgrading.
cvss
Technical severity, 0–10. One row per scoring source.
base score 0–10 · higher = more severe · hover a vector to decode⚠ sources disagree · high–critical · 8.2–9.1
ssvc
A stakeholder decision — act, attend, or track — from exploitation and impact.
weaknesses
The CWE weakness classes this flaw belongs to.
affected products (8)
Products and version ranges known to be affected.
- Maven org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-xhtml5.4.5 → 14.10osvUSpkg:maven/org.xwiki.rendering/xwiki-rendering-syntax-xhtml
advisories (2)
Vendor and ecosystem advisories describing this.
- NCSC-2025-0231Kwetsbaarheden verholpen in XWikiNL2025-07-17csaf · ncsc_nlNL
XWiki heeft kwetsbaarheden verholpen in het rendering systeem en de standaard macro content parser.
- GHSA-w3wh-g4m9-783pXWiki Rendering is vulnerable to XSS attacks through insecure XHTML syntax2025-07-14ghsa · osvUS
### Impact The XHTML syntax depended on the `xdom+xml/current` syntax which allows the creation of raw blocks that permit the insertion of arbitrary HTML content including JavaScript. This allows XSS attacks for users who can edit a document like their user profile (enabled by default). The attack works by setting the document's syntax to `xdom+xml/current` and then inserting content like ``` <document><p><metadata><metadata><entry><string>syntax</string><org.xwiki.rendering.syntax.Syntax><type><name>XHTML</name><id>xhtml</id><variants class="empty-list"></variants></type><version>5</version></org.xwiki.rendering.syntax.Syntax></entry></metadata></metadata></p><rawtext syntax="html/5.0" content="<script>alert(1);</script>"></rawtext></document> ``` This has been fixed by removing the dependency on the `xdom+xml/current` syntax from the XHTML syntax. Note that the `xdom+xml` syntax is still vulnerable to this attack. As it's main purpose is testing and its use is quite difficult, this syntax shouldn't be installed or used on a regular wiki. We're currently not aware of any further dependencies on it. ### Patches The fix of removing the dependency has been included in XWiki 14.10. It is not released for earlier versions due to the potential breakages, among others this change makes it necessary to update the [Confluence XHTML syntax](https://extensions.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Extension/Confluence/Syntax%20XHTML/) as it relies on internals that were changed for the fix. Similar XSS fixes were also not applied to the LTS version 13.10.x due to the potential breakages. ### Workarounds There are no known workarounds apart from upgrading. ### References * https://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XRENDERING-660 * https://github.com/xwiki/xwiki-rendering/commit/a4ca31f99f524b9456c64150d6f375984aa81ea7 ### For more information If you have any questions or comments about this advisory: * Open an issue in [Jira XWiki.org](https://jira.xwiki.org/) * Email us at [Security Mailing List](mailto:security@xwiki.org)
also known as (4)
Other names and identifiers for this entity.
sources
Which sources assert this record, and when.
references (12)
External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/cve-2025-53835cnnvd
- https://github.com/xwiki/xwiki-rendering/commit/a4ca31f99f524b9456c64150d6f375984aa81ea7cnnvd
- https://github.com/xwiki/xwiki-rendering/releasesPatchcnnvd
- https://github.com/xwiki/xwiki-rendering/security/advisories/GHSA-w3wh-g4m9-783pcnnvd
- https://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XRENDERING-660cnnvd
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-53835cnnvd
- https://github.com/xwiki/xwiki-rendering/commit/a4ca31f99f524b9456c64150d6f375984aa81ea7enisa_euvd
- https://github.com/xwiki/xwiki-rendering/security/advisories/GHSA-w3wh-g4m9-783penisa_euvd
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