Protected-variable disclosure via unlogged batch testing
Published Jul 7, 2025 · Updated Jul 8, 2025
Insufficient logging in MediaWiki AbuseFilter 1.43.x before 1.43.2 allows remote authenticated users to infer protected variables. The Special:AbuseFilter/test batch tester evaluates filter patterns against protected variable values but does not record those accesses in the protected-variable access log. An account with checkuser and sysop rights can use repeated tests to learn sensitive values by observing which recent changes match, leaving no corresponding audit trail.
Summary
What happened
Insufficient logging in MediaWiki AbuseFilter 1.43.x before 1.43.2 allows remote authenticated users to infer protected variables. The Special:AbuseFilter/test batch tester evaluates filter patterns against protected variable values but does not record those accesses in the protected-variable access log. An account with checkuser and sysop rights can use repeated tests to learn sensitive values by observing which recent changes match, leaving no corresponding audit trail.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-53498
- Published
- Jul 7, 2025
- Updated
- Jul 8, 2025
- Vendor
- Wikimedia Foundation
- Product
- MediaWiki AbuseFilter
- Classifications
- CWE-778, CAPEC-118, T1213
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 7, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jul 8, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=1.43.x <1.43.2
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Protected-variable inference through AbuseFilter batch testingproof of concept · demonstrated
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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