How severe is CVE-2012-4381?

CVE-2012-4381 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.1, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2012-4381 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (89th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2012-4381?

CVE-2012-4381 affects Mediawiki. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2012-4381?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2012-4381 published?

CVE-2012-4381 was published on 2020-02-08 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2012-4381

CVE-2012-4381 is a high-severity vulnerability in Mediawiki with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.1. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-798.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.1)
CVSS v2: 9.3
EPSS exploit prediction: 4% (89th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-798
Affected product: Mediawiki
Published: 2020-02-08
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

MediaWiki before 1.18.5, and 1.19.x before 1.19.2 saves passwords in the local database, (1) which could make it easier for context-dependent attackers to obtain cleartext passwords via a brute-force attack or, (2) when an authentication plugin returns a false in the strict function, could allow remote attackers to use old passwords for non-existing accounts in an external authentication system via unspecified vectors.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2012-4381?: MediaWiki before 1.18.5, and 1.19.x before 1.19.2 saves passwords in the local database, (1) which could make it easier for context-dependent attackers to obtain cleartext passwords via a brute-force attack or, (2) when an authentication plugin returns a false in the strict function, could allow remote attackers to use old passwords for non-existing accounts in an external authentication system via unspecified vectors.
How severe is CVE-2012-4381?: CVE-2012-4381 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.1, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2012-4381 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (89th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2012-4381?: CVE-2012-4381 affects Mediawiki. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2012-4381?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2012-4381 published?: CVE-2012-4381 was published on 2020-02-08 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:mediawiki:mediawiki:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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