CVE-2025-23072Network attack vector

Stored XSS via unescaped system messages

Published Jan 14, 2025 · Updated Mar 13, 2025

Stored XSS in Wikimedia Foundation RefreshSpecial allows remote attackers to run script in users' browsers through system messages. RefreshSpecialForm passes localized failure and choice messages through plain() into raw HTML and subtitle output without escaping. A victim must view Special:RefreshSpecial; injected script can read or alter data available to that browser session.

CVSS severity5.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.31%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Stored XSS in Wikimedia Foundation RefreshSpecial allows remote attackers to run script in users' browsers through system messages. RefreshSpecialForm passes localized failure and choice messages through plain() into raw HTML and subtitle output without escaping. A victim must view Special:RefreshSpecial; injected script can read or alter data available to that browser session.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-23072
Published
Jan 14, 2025
Updated
Mar 13, 2025
Vendor
Wikimedia Foundation
Product
RefreshSpecial
Classifications
CWE-79, CAPEC-63, T1189
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 14, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 13, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=1.39.x <1.39.11
  2. Affected versionversion=1.41.x <1.41.3
  3. Affected versionversion=1.42.x <1.42.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Wikimedia Foundation · RefreshSpecialversion=1.39.x <1.39.11; version=1.41.x <1.41.3; version=1.42.x <1.42.2

Published CVSS scores

5.4CISA ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-79Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
CAPEC-63Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
T1189Drive-by Compromise

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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