HIGH CVSS 8.8
Published: 2020-12-11

CVE-2020-29254

tiki tikiwiki_cms\/groupware Security Advisory (CVE-2020-29254)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
Seeking technical exploit breakdowns or verified PoC code for CVE-2020-29254?
🔬 Search Writeups & Exploit Archive →

CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2020-29254 impacting tiki tikiwiki_cms\/groupware. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 8.8 (HIGH).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
TikiWiki 21.2 allows templates to be edited without CSRF protection. This could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attack and perform arbitrary actions on an affected system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient CSRF protections for the web-based management interface of the affected system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a user of the interface to follow a maliciously crafted link. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to perform arbitrary actions on an affected system with the privileges of the user. These action include allowing attackers to submit their own code through an authenticated user resulting in local file Inclusion. If an authenticated user who is able to edit TikiWiki templates visits an malicious website, template code can be edited.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
Required (UI:R)
User must click or open resource
Scope
Unchanged (S:U)
Confined to same security context
Confidentiality
High (C:H)
Total information disclosure
Integrity
High (I:H)
Total modification of target system
Availability
High (A:H)
Total denial of service or shutdown

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product tiki / tikiwiki_cms\/groupware
Affected Versions 21.2
Weakness Enumeration CWE-352

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2020-29254 impacting tiki tikiwiki_cms\/groupware.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2020-29254.yaml
id: cve-2020-29254

info:
  name: tiki tikiwiki_cms\/groupware - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: high
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2020-29254 affecting tiki tikiwiki_cms\/groupware.
    Evaluation: TikiWiki 21.2 allows templates to be edited without CSRF protection. This could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site requ...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2020-29254
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 8.8
    cve-id: CVE-2020-29254
    cwe-id: CWE-352
  tags: cve,cve-2020-29254,tiki,tikiwiki_cms\/groupware,high

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "tikiwiki_cms\/groupware"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2020-29254.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2020-29254
# Target: tiki tikiwiki_cms\/groupware | CVSS: 8.8 (HIGH)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2020-29254 (tiki tikiwiki_cms\/groupware)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against tiki tikiwiki_cms\/groupware scope (21.2).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2020-29254.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2020-29254
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install tikiwiki_cms\/groupware 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade tikiwiki_cms\/groupware 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update tikiwiki_cms\/groupware

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i tikiwiki_cms\/groupware 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i tikiwiki_cms\/groupware

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2020-29254 in tiki tikiwiki_cms\/groupware?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update tiki tikiwiki_cms\/groupware packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2020-29254?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2020-29254?

CVE-2020-29254 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 8.8 (HIGH). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
8.8
HIGH SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2020-29254
Weakness CWE-352
Vendor tiki
Product tikiwiki_cms\/groupware
Published 2020-12-11
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H