Semantic MediaWiki: Stored cross-site scripting in Special:FacetedSearch
Summary
Semantic MediaWiki (SMW) 4.2.0 up to 7.4.0 contains a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability in the profile option handling of Special:FacetedSearch. A user with the smw-schemaedit right can save profile keys or labels that break out of HTML option elements. The injected script runs for every visitor of Special:FacetedSearch, including administrators, which can be used to act in their name.
Affected
- Semantic MediaWiki 4.2.0 to before 7.4.1
- Unaffected: 7.4.1 and later
Fixed in
- Semantic MediaWiki 7.4.1
Workaround
Unknown.
Exploitation
- No public proof of concept found.
- No evidence of active exploitation found; CISA KEV status not verified.
- Attacker requires the smw-schemaedit right (authenticated, insider-type issue).
Our recommendation
- Upgrade Semantic MediaWiki to 7.4.1 or later on every MediaWiki instance and run update.php as described in the release notes.
- Review which accounts hold the smw-schemaedit right and restrict it to necessary users.
- Review existing FacetedSearch profiles and schema entries for injected markup.
- Monitor the GitHub advisory GHSA-cw86-j46r-2x7x and the CISA KEV catalog for updates.
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- CVE-2026-126559 VulnCheck advisory www.vulncheck.com
- GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-cw86-j46r-2x7x github.com
- SMW 7.4.1 release github.com
- Fix commit 92999fc github.com
- OptionsBuilder.php at 7.4.0 github.com
Researched and written up in English and German by an AI (Claude by Anthropic) based on NVD, CISA, EPSS and the sources listed. The vendor information is authoritative. Researched on 11 Nov 2026, 19:46.
Original description (NVD)
Semantic MediaWiki 4.2.0 before 7.4.1 contains a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability in OptionsBuilder::profiles() that allows users with the smw-schemaedit right to inject markup. Attackers can save FACETEDSEARCH_PROFILE_SCHEMA profile keys or labels that break out of option elements, executing scripts for every Special:FacetedSearch visitor including administrators.
NVD references (6)
- https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticMediaWiki/blob/7.4.0/src/MediaWiki/Specials/FacetedSearch/Option…
- https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticMediaWiki/commit/92999fc0de74324aaa35bfd3676cd4d145d2ac06
- https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticMediaWiki/releases/tag/7.4.1
- https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticMediaWiki/security/advisories/GHSA-cw86-j46r-2x7x
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/semantic-mediawiki-4.2.0-before-7.4.1-stored-xss-via-special-facetedsear…
- https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticMediaWiki/security/advisories/GHSA-cw86-j46r-2x7x
Sources
The tracker combines official, freely usable data sources – updated continuously:
- NVD (NIST) – CVEs, rating (CVSS), affected products
- CISA KEV – vulnerabilities confirmed by CISA as actively exploited
- CISA Vulnrichment – CISA assessment (SSVC) in the official CVE record
- FIRST EPSS – probability of exploitation
- Microsoft MSRC – Patch Tuesday: vulnerabilities, severity, updates
- PoC-in-GitHub – public proof-of-concept repositories
- Metasploit (Rapid7) – modules of the Metasploit Framework
- Exploit-DB (OffSec) – archive of public exploits (links only)
- Patch days: official vendor pages (linked per vendor) (Vendor patch days)
This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS data © FIRST.org.
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