ManageWiki SQL Injection Vulnerability (CVE-2025-32956): Analysis and Mitigation

A high-severity SQL injection vulnerability (CVE-2025-32956) has been identified in the ManageWiki MediaWiki extension, affecting versions prior to commit f504ed8. The flaw allows attackers with namespace management privileges to execute arbitrary SQL queries via the Special:ManageWiki/namespaces interface during namespace renaming operations. This vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS score of 8.0 (High) and was publicly disclosed on April 21, 2025¹.

Technical Breakdown

The vulnerability manifests when a malicious actor injects SQL payloads through the page prefix parameter during namespace renaming. The NamespaceMigrationJob component fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input, leading to direct SQL query manipulation². This is particularly concerning as MediaWiki installations often store sensitive configuration data and user metadata in their databases.

Successful exploitation requires namespace management privileges, which are typically granted to wiki administrators. The GitHub advisory from Miraheze confirms the vulnerability stems from improper parameter binding in the namespace renaming functionality³. Attackers could potentially exfiltrate database contents, modify wiki configurations, or escalate privileges through crafted SQL statements.

Affected Systems and Remediation

The vulnerability impacts all ManageWiki installations before commit f504ed8. The patch was implemented through proper parameterized queries in the namespace migration logic. Organizations unable to immediately update can apply the temporary workaround by disabling namespace management entirely:

$wgManageWiki['namespaces'] = false;

This configuration change effectively removes the attack vector while maintaining other ManageWiki functionality. The Alibaba Cloud vulnerability database recommends this mitigation for systems requiring extended patch cycles⁴.

Security Implications

SQL injection vulnerabilities in wiki management systems pose significant risks due to the centralized nature of these platforms. MediaWiki instances often serve as organizational knowledge bases containing operational procedures, internal documentation, and sometimes even credential storage. The OpenCVE platform classifies this under CWE-89 (SQL Injection), highlighting its potential for data confidentiality and integrity violations⁵.

System administrators should prioritize patching this vulnerability, especially in multi-wiki environments where ManageWiki is commonly deployed. The commit history suggests the fix involves proper prepared statement usage, a standard defense against SQL injection attacks. Organizations should also review database access logs for suspicious queries containing SQL keywords or unusual schema accesses.

Conclusion

CVE-2025-32956 demonstrates the persistent risk of SQL injection in content management systems, even in mature extensions like ManageWiki. The availability of both a patch and workaround provides flexible remediation options for affected organizations. Security teams should verify their MediaWiki installations and monitor for unusual database activity, particularly in the mw_namespace tables.

References

1. “CVE-2025-32956 Detail,” NVD, 2025.
2. “ManageWiki SQL Injection Advisory,” GitHub Security Advisory, 2025.
3. “OpenCVE Entry for CVE-2025-32956,” OpenCVE, 2025.
4. “Alibaba Cloud Vulnerability Database,” AVD, 2025.