Read the docs
TI-2026-54100 Aliases CVE-2026-77616GHSA-cx86-7xwp-w9wf

Semantic MediaWiki affected by reflected XSS in `Special:Ask` via a forged cursor pagination token

Priority LOW 27CWE-79Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
Required
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Cross-site scripting
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
Low · Low · None
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-79.

Summary

Semantic MediaWiki is a free, open-source extension to MediaWiki that lets users store and query data within the wiki's pages. In versions 7.0.0 through 7.1.0, `Special:Ask` accepts a `cursor` query parameter for keyset pagination (added in 7.0.0). The token is decoded by `CursorEncoder`, which is an **unsigned** base64url-encoded JSON blob, so its contents are fully attacker-controlled. When the cursor's sort anchor does not match the request's `sort=` / `order=`, `QueryCreator::applyCursorIfRequested()` builds an error message by interpolating the attacker-controlled `sort_prop` / `sort_order` values into a raw string via `Query::addErrors()`. Unlike SMW's message-key errors, this raw string bypasses the message layer's sanitization (`ProcessingErrorMsgHandler::normalizeAndDecodeMessages()` passes a non-key, non-encoded string through unchanged). `ErrorWidget::queryError()` then assembles the errors and passes them to `Html::errorBox()`, whose first argument is emitted as raw HTML. The result is a reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability: a crafted `cursor` token containing markup in `sort_prop` (or `sort_order`) executes script in the victim's browser on the wiki origin. No authentication or special permission is required. The payload is delivered via a crafted link. Version 7.2.0 contains a fix.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.0033 26th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed SemanticMediaWiki (SemanticMediaWiki): 7.2.0mediawiki/semantic-media-wiki (Packagist): 7.2.0

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
SemanticMediaWikiSemanticMediaWiki7.0.0 to before 7.2.07.2.0Patch availableCNA
—mediawiki/semantic-media-wiki (Packagist)7.0.0 to before 7.2.07.2.0Patch availableGHSA-cx86-7xwp-w9wf
  • SemanticMediaWiki VendorSemanticMediaWiki Affected 7.0.0 to before 7.2.0 Fixed in 7.2.0 Patch available CNA
  • mediawiki/semantic-media-wiki (Packagist) Vendor— Affected 7.0.0 to before 7.2.0 Fixed in 7.2.0 Patch available GHSA-cx86-7xwp-w9wf

CPE names Threatist (inferred) · 1

Inferred from how NVD named this product before; not given by a source.

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:semantic-mediawiki:semantic_mediawiki:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*——SemanticMediaWiki
  • cpe:2.3:a:semantic-mediawiki:semantic_mediawiki:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions — — ·SemanticMediaWiki

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA SemanticMediaWiki (SemanticMediaWiki) Fixed in 7.2.0
  • Fix · GHSA-cx86-7xwp-w9wf mediawiki/semantic-media-wiki (Packagist) Fixed in 7.2.0 Advisory →

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-77616
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-cx86-7xwp-w9wf

References

  • TI-2026-81081 Resource exhaustion in Semantic MediaWiki via #set_recurring_event CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
  • TI-2026-81076 Semantic MediaWiki search lets attackers exhaust CPU via long terms CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
  • TI-2026-81075 Uncontrolled recursion in Semantic MediaWiki via Special:Ask CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
  • TI-2025-38114 Semantic MediaWiki vulnerable to stored XSS through wikitext via improper use of non-reserved data attributes CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.6
  • TI-2026-81077 Missing authorization in Semantic MediaWiki smwtask API CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 6.9
  • TI-2026-81084 Cross-site request forgery in Semantic MediaWiki SMWAdmin page CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.1
See all 30 →

Sources