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MediaWiki ExternalData EUVDEUVD-2026-87348

| CVE-2026-100382 CRITICAL
OS Command Injection (CWE-78)
2026-09-25 c4f26cc8-17ff-4c99-b5e2-38fc1793eacc GHSA-vwh3-jq98-4w28
10.0
CVSS 4.0 · Vendor: c4f26cc8-17ff-4c99-b5e2-38fc1793eacc
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Reach wiki with ExternalData enabled
  2. Delivery
    Craft input with shell metacharacters
  3. Exploit
    Inject into configured external command
  4. Execution
    OS command executes on server
  5. Impact
    Full host compromise (RCE)

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A05:2025 - Injection
ASVS 5.0
V1 - Encoding and Sanitization OS command sanitization, avoid shell exec
MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques across 1 tactic: Execution

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Exploitation Conditions

Requires the target wiki to run the MediaWiki ExternalData extension at a version before 3.7 AND to have a command/program-executing external data source configured (the extension's feature that invokes local programs, e.g. via $wgExternalDataSources). The attacker must be able to supply input that flows into that command - typically through wiki markup/parser functions that pass parameters to the external program. Limiting factors: ExternalData is an optional extension not present on default MediaWiki installs, and the exec data-source capability must be explicitly enabled by an operator; on wikis that restrict page editing, invocation may also require edit privileges, narrowing the PR:N claim. Where these conditions hold, exploitation is remote and low-complexity.

Impact

The vendor-supplied CVSS 4.0 vector scores this a perfect 10.0 (AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N with VC:H/VI:H/VA:H and subsequent-system SC:H/SI:H/SA:H), which describes an unauthenticated, network-reachable, low-complexity OS command injection yielding full compromise of the host beyond the application boundary - the maximum-severity profile for CWE-78. That top-line score should be tempered against real-world signals: there is no EPSS probability, no CISA KEV listing, and no public POC referenced, so exploitation is currently theoretical rather than observed. A vendor patch (Gerrit 1326012, tracked in Phabricator T434961) is confirmed available, which is the single most actionable fact. Note a tension in the PR:N claim: the ExternalData extension only executes local programs when an operator has configured the exec/program data-source feature ($wgExternalDataSources), so real-world reachability is gated on that non-default configuration and, on many wikis, on the ability to invoke it via editable wiki markup - meaning the effective exploit population is narrower than a raw 10.0 implies. Verdict: genuinely high-impact and worth prompt patching where ExternalData is installed, but the absence of exploitation evidence plus the configuration gate makes it a high-priority-patch rather than a confirmed emergency.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

A remote attacker reaches a MediaWiki instance running the ExternalData extension (before 3.7) with a program/command data source configured, and supplies crafted input containing shell metacharacters that is passed unneutralized into an OS command. The command executes on the web server, giving arbitrary code execution as the web-server user and, per the CVSS subsequent-system metrics, full host compromise. No public exploit identified at time of analysis, and no CISA KEV or EPSS data is available.

Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Why: CRITICAL severity + public POC available.
1 public PoC Patch available 0.9% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Sep 25, 2026

OS command injection in the MediaWiki ExternalData extension before version 3.7 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary operating-system commands on the wiki server. The flaw is reachable over the network with no authentication required per the CVSS vector (PR:N) and low attack complexity, and because the injected command runs in the web server's process context, the vendor's CVSS 4.0 score and our independent re-score both rate it at the maximum severity (10.0), extending impact to subsequent systems (S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H). Exploitation is conditional: the wiki must actually have ExternalData installed (it is an optional extension) and must have a program/command-executing external data source explicitly configured, and invocation may require page-edit rights on wikis that restrict editing; no public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis, but a vendor patch is available in ExternalData 3.7.

RemediationAI

Upgrade the ExternalData extension to version 3.7 or later (vendor-released patch: ExternalData 3.7); the fix commit is reviewable at https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/c/mediawiki/extensions/ExternalData/+/1326012 and the issue is tracked at https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T434961. If you cannot update immediately, the highest-value compensating control is to remove or disable command/program-executing external data sources from $wgExternalDataSources - deleting the program-type entries eliminates the vulnerable code path entirely, at the cost of breaking any wiki content that depends on those sources; as a stronger fallback, disable the ExternalData extension altogether on wikis that do not need it. Where legitimately needed, restrict who can trigger the parser functions by tightening edit/create permissions (e.g. limiting the affected namespaces to trusted groups) and by running the data-source parameters through strict allow-listing rather than free-form wiki input, though this narrows rather than removes the risk. Additionally, reduce blast radius by running the web server/PHP-FPM and any helper processes under a low-privilege account with no shell access and constrained filesystem permissions, since an injected command executes with that account's rights. Note that restricting page editing mitigates the unauthenticated PR:N profile but does not patch the underlying injection.

Affected VersionsENISA

Mediawiki - ExternalData Extension * <3.7

Affected Packages

euvd mediawiki_externaldata_extension fix: 3.7

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

The vulnerability is CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command). MediaWiki's ExternalData extension lets editors pull external content into wiki pages through parser functions such as #get_external_data, #external_value, and #for_external_table, using data sources defined by the site operator in $wgExternalDataSources. One supported source type is a local program/command that the extension shells out to and whose stdout is parsed back into the page. Versions before 3.7 failed to properly neutralize shell metacharacters in data that flows from wiki markup/user-supplied parameters into that command line, so an attacker who can reach the parser function can append or inject commands that are executed by the web server's shell. The affected component is the ExternalData extension itself (EPV/EUVD record EUVD-2026-87348 lists "Mediawiki - ExternalData Extension * <3.7"); the CPE-equivalent affected set is any ExternalData release prior to 3.7 specifically, not MediaWiki core. Because the extension is optional and the program-based data source is off by default, the vulnerable code path only exists where an operator has deliberately enabled command-executing data sources.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

Vendor (c4f26cc8-17ff-4c99-b5e2-38fc1793eacc) PRIMARY 10.0 CRITICAL
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H
vuln.today AI 10.0 CRITICAL

Network-reachable low-complexity command injection escaping the app to OS gives S:C and C/I/A:H; PR:N follows the vendor vector though real reachability is gated on the exec feature being configured.

3.1 AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.0 AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H

Primary rating from Vendor (c4f26cc8-17ff-4c99-b5e2-38fc1793eacc).

CVSS VectorVendor: c4f26cc8-17ff-4c99-b5e2-38fc1793eacc

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Attack Requirements
None
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Vulnerable system: Confidentiality
High
Vulnerable system: Integrity
High
Vulnerable system: Availability
High
Subsequent system: Confidentiality
High
Subsequent system: Integrity
High
Subsequent system: Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

2
Patch available
Sep 25, 2026 - 22:19 EUVD
CVE Published
Sep 25, 2026 - 22:17 cve.org
CRITICAL 10.0

DescriptionCVE.org

Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') vulnerability in Wikimedia Foundation Mediawiki - ExternalData Extension allows OS Command Injection.

This issue affects Mediawiki - ExternalData Extension: from * before 3.7.

Technical POC Analysis

Bug class: CWE-78, OS Command Injection.

Full technical POC analysis - root cause, step-by-step exploitation and patch breakdown - is part of the Pro and Business plans.

Latest POC

1 public PoC link from github

Sign in to open the public PoC links collected for this CVE.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

The MediaWiki ExternalData extension, used by organizations to pull dynamic content onto internal or public wikis, contains a maximum-severity OS command injection flaw affecting all versions before 3.7. Wiki servers with ExternalData installed and a command-executing data source configured may allow an unauthenticated network attacker to run arbitrary operating-system commands, extending impact to connected backend systems and enabling full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Leadership should care because a successful attack could hand an intruder a foothold on wiki infrastructure that often bridges internal networks, document repositories, and identity systems.

Business Impact: Severe
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.9%
Top 40% exploitable
Prevalence
Medium
MediaWiki is widely deployed but ExternalData is an optional popular extension subset
Social Media
4
Sightings
Data Quality
7 sources
Confidence: High
EUVD NVD CVE.org EPSS Vulnrichment CIRCL GitHub VulDB

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity CRITICAL
CISA KEV No
Public POC Yes
EPSS 0.9%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
CRITICAL severity + public POC available
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision
Out-of-Cycle
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable
Yes
Human Impact
Very High
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

71
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: +1
CVSS: +50
PoC: +20
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

OS command injection occurs when an application passes unsanitized user input directly into system shell commands.

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