MediaWiki

General Information

Technologies must be operated and maintained in accordance with Federal and Department security and privacy policies and guidelines. More information on the proper use of the TRM can be found on the TRM Proper Use Tab/Section.

Website:	Go to site
Description:	MediaWiki is an open source Wiki platform that supports collaborative development of web content using a simple markup language and editor that can be used from any web browser. MediaWiki is written in Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) and was originally developed for use on Wikipedia to replace UseModWiki, a Perl based Wiki software platform.
Technology/Standard Usage Requirements:	Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Officer (ISO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.
Section 508 Information:	This technology has been assessed by the Section 508 Office and found non-conformant. The Implementer of this technology has the responsibility to ensure the version deployed is 508-compliant. Section 508 compliance may be reviewed by the Section 508 Office and appropriate remedial action required if necessary. For additional information or assistance regarding Section 508, please contact the Section 508 Office at Section508@va.gov. Please see reference tab for more information concerning product versions.
Decision:	View Decisions

Decision Source:	TRM Mgmt Group
Decision Process:	One-VA TRM v23.4
Decision Date:	04/17/2023 at 16:02:58 UTC
Introduced By:	Enterprise Program Management Office (EPMO) TRM Team
Vendor Name:	Wikimedia Foundation

Vendor Release Information

The Vendor Release table provides the known releases for the TRM Technology, obtained from the vendor (or from the release source).

Version	Release Date	Vendor End of Life Date
1.24.x	12/17/2014
1.25.x	03/31/2015	06/28/2016
1.26.x	11/25/2015
1.27.x	06/28/2016	06/01/2019
1.28.x	11/28/2016
1.29.x	11/15/2017
1.30.x	09/19/2017	12/01/2018
1.31.x	09/26/2017	07/01/2021
1.32.x	06/06/2019
1.33.x	04/10/2019
1.34.x	10/15/2019
1.38.x	09/29/2022
1.39.x	11/30/2022

Current Decision Matrix (04/12/2023)

Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Officer (ISO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.

The VA Decision Matrix displays the current and future VA IT position regarding different releases of a TRM entry. These decisions are based upon the best information available as of the most current date. The consumer of this information has the responsibility to consult the organizations responsible for the desktop, testing, and/or production environments to ensure that the target version of the technology will be supported. Any major.minor version that is not listed in the VA Decision Matrix is considered unapproved for use.

Legend:

White	Approved: The technology/standard has been approved for use.
Yellow	Approved w/Constraints: The technology/standard can be used within the specified constraints located below the decision matrix in the footnote[1] and on the General tab.
Gray	Unapproved: This technology or standard can be used only if a POA&M review is conducted and signed by the Authorizing Official Designated Representative (AODR) as designated by the Authorizing Official (AO) or designee and based upon a recommendation from the POA&M Compliance Enforcement, has been granted to the project team or organization that wishes to use the technology.
Orange	Divest: VA has decided to divest itself on the use of the technology/standard. As a result, all projects currently utilizing the technology/standard must plan to eliminate their use of the technology/standard. Additional information on when the entry is projected to become unapproved may be found on the Decision tab for the specific entry.
Black	Prohibited: The technology/standard is not (currently) permitted to be used under any circumstances.
Blue	Planning/Evaluation Constraint:The period of time this technology is currently being evaluated, reviewed, and tested in controlled environments. Use of this technology is strictly controlled and not available for use within the general population. If a customer would like to use this technology, please work with your local or Regional OI&T office and contact the appropriate evaluation office displayed in the notes below the decision matrix. The Local or Regional OI&T office should submit an inquiry to the TRM if they require further assistance or if the evaluating office is not listed in the notes below.

Release/Version Information:

VA decisions for specific versions may include a ‘.x’ wildcard, which denotes a decision that pertains to a range of multiple versions.

For example, a technology approved with a decision for 7.x would cover any version of 7.(Anything) - 7.(Anything). However, a 7.4.x decision would cover any version of 7.4.(Anything), but would not cover any version of 7.5.x or 7.6.x on the TRM.

VA decisions for specific versions may include ‘+’ symbols; which denotes that the decision for the version specified also includes versions greater than what is specified but is not to exceed or affect previous decimal places.

For example, a technology approved with a decision for 12.6.4+ would cover any version that is greater than 12.6.4, but would not exceed the .6 decimal ie: 12.6.401 is ok, 12.6.5 is ok, 12.6.9 is ok, however 12.7.0 or 13.0 is not.

<Past

CY2018

CY2019

CY2020

Future>

Release

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

1.24.x

Unapproved

1.25.x

Divest
[4, 7, 8, 9]

Divest
[4, 8, 10, 11]

Unapproved

1.26.x

Divest
[4, 7, 8, 9]

Divest
[4, 8, 10, 11]

Divest
[4, 8, 11, 12]

Unapproved

1.27.x

Approved w/Constraints
[4, 7, 8, 9]

Approved w/Constraints
[4, 8, 10, 11]

Divest
[4, 8, 11, 12]

Unapproved

1.28.x

Approved w/Constraints
[4, 7, 8, 9]

Approved w/Constraints
[4, 8, 10, 11]

Divest
[4, 8, 11, 12]

Unapproved

1.29.x

Unapproved

Approved w/Constraints
[4, 8, 10, 11]

Approved w/Constraints
[4, 8, 11, 12]

Divest
[4, 8, 11, 12]

Unapproved

1.30.x

Unapproved

Approved w/Constraints
[4, 8, 10, 11]

Approved w/Constraints
[4, 8, 11, 12]

Divest
[4, 8, 11, 12]

Unapproved

1.31.x

Unapproved

Approved w/Constraints
[4, 8, 11, 12]

Divest
[4, 8, 9, 11, 13]

Unapproved

1.32.x

Unapproved

Approved w/Constraints
[4, 8, 9, 11, 13]

Divest
[4, 8, 9, 11, 13]

1.33.x

Unapproved

1.34.x

Unapproved

Approved w/Constraints
[4, 8, 9, 11, 13]

1.38.x

Unapproved

1.39.x

Unapproved

Decision Constraints


[1]	Note: CIO decision on March 6, 2012 granted permission for Intranet use only.

[2]	As of April 23, 2015, per the Deputy CIO of Architecture, Strategy and Design (ASD), all technologies in use by the VA require an assessment by the VA Section 508 office. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998 is a federal law that sets the guidelines for technology accessibility. A VA Section 508 assessment of this technology has not been completed at the time of publication. Therefore, as of April 23, 2015 only users of this technology who have deployed the technology to the production environment, or have project design and implementation plans approved, may continue to operate this technology. In the case of a project that has implemented, or been approved for a specific site or number of users, and that project needs to expand operations to other sites or to an increased user base, it may do so as long as the project stays on the existing version of the technology that was approved or implemented as of April 22, 2015. Use of this technology in all other cases is prohibited.

[3]	Per the May 5th, 2015 memorandum from the VA Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) FIPS 140-2 Validate Full Disk Encryption (FOE) for Data at Rest in Database Management Systems (DBMS) and in accordance with Federal requirements and VA policy, database management must use Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 compliant encryption to protect the confidentiality and integrity of VA information at rest at the application level. If FIPS 140-2 encryption at the application level is not technically possible, FIPS 140-2 compliant full disk encryption (FOE) must be implemented on the hard drive where the DBMS resides. Appropriate access enforcement and physical security control must also be implemented. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500 and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards. It is the responsibility of the system owner to work with the local CIO (or designee) and Information Security Officer (ISO) to ensure that a compliant DBMS technology is selected and that if needed, mitigating controls are in place and documented in a System Security Plan (SSP).

[4]	Due to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) identified security vulnerabilities, extra vigilance should be applied to ensure the versions remain properly patched to mitigate known and future vulnerabilities. The local ISO can provide assistance in reviewing the NIST vulnerabilities.

[5]	Technology must remain patched and operated in accordance with Federal and Department security policies and guidelines in order to mitigate known and future security vulnerabilities.

[6]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[7]	CIO decision on March 6, 2012 granted permission for Intranet use only. This product can also be configured with a MySQL Database which currently has TRM constraints for intranet use only due to its many known security issues. If MySQL is selected for use with this product, these factors should be considered especially when an instance of this product will be considered a Moderate or High Risk system. See the MySQL Database TRM entry for more details.

[8]	Users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Office (ISO) or local OIT representative for permission to download and use this software. Downloaded software must always be scanned for viruses prior to installation to prevent adware or malware. Freeware may only be downloaded directly from the primary site that the creator of the software has advertised for public download and user or development community engagement. Users should note, any attempt by the installation process to install any additional, unrelated software is not approved and the user should take the proper steps to decline those installations.

[9]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[10]	This product can be configured with a MySQL Database which currently has TRM constraints for intranet use only due to its many known security issues. If MySQL is selected for use with this product, these factors must be considered especially when an instance of this product will be considered a Moderate or High Risk system. See the MySQL Database TRM entry for more details. The following constraints must be adhered to in accordance with an Initial Product Review (IPR) conducted on this technology: MediaWiki should not be used to collect, store and process VA sensitive information. System owners should reach out to Architecture, Strategy, and Design (ASD) under the Office of Information & Technology (OI&T) and ask for guidance for deploying an enterprise-wide collaborative web content development platform. System owners must ensure they deploy or upgrade to the latest version of the software. The system should be deployed on a dedicated server within a protected enclave where strict access controls are in place to allow access only to authorized team members. In addition, system owners should follow the security guidance issued by MediaWiki. System owners need to stay informed of the MediaWiki development activities to ensure software updates and patches to the software are tested and installed in a timely manner. Additionally, system owners need to constantly monitor the various resources within the MediaWiki community to get the most up-to-date information on known vulnerabilities as well as solutions to mitigate or remediate the vulnerabilities.

[11]	Per the May 5th, 2015 memorandum from the VA Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) FIPS 140-2 Validate Full Disk Encryption (FOE) for Data at Rest in Database Management Systems (DBMS) and in accordance with Federal requirements and VA policy, database management must use Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 compliant encryption to protect the confidentiality and integrity of VA information at rest at the application level. If FIPS 140-2 encryption at the application level is not technically possible, FIPS 140-2 compliant full disk encryption (FOE) must be implemented on the hard drive where the DBMS resides. Appropriate access enforcement and physical security control must also be implemented. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500 and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards. It is the responsibility of the system owner to work with the local CIO (or designee) and Information Security Officer (ISO) to ensure that a compliant DBMS technology is selected and that if needed, mitigating controls are in place and documented in a System Security Plan (SSP).

[12]	This product can be configured with a MySQL Database which currently has TRM constraints for intranet use only due to its many known security issues. If MySQL is selected for use with this product, these factors must be considered especially when an instance of this product will be considered a Moderate or High Risk system. See the MySQL Database TRM entry for more details. The following constraints must be adhered to in accordance with an Initial Product Review (IPR) conducted on this technology: MediaWiki should not be used to collect, store and process VA sensitive information. System owners should reach out to Architecture, Strategy, and Design (ASD) under the Office of Information & Technology (OI&T) and ask for guidance for deploying an enterprise-wide collaborative web content development platform. System owners must ensure they deploy or upgrade to the latest version of the software. The system should be deployed on a dedicated server within a protected enclave where strict access controls are in place to allow access only to authorized team members. In addition, system owners should follow the security guidance issued by MediaWiki. System owners need to stay informed of the MediaWiki development activities to ensure software updates and patches to the software are tested and installed in a timely manner. Additionally, system owners need to constantly monitor the various resources within the MediaWiki community to get the most up-to-date information on known vulnerabilities as well as solutions to mitigate or remediate the vulnerabilities.

[13]	Per the Initial Product Review, users must abide by the following constraints: MediaWiki should not be used to collect, store and process VA sensitive information. System owners should reach out to Architecture, Strategy, and Design (ASD) under the Office of Information & Technology (OI&T) and ask for guidance for deploying an enterprise-wide collaborative web content development platform. System owners must ensure they deploy or upgrade to the latest version of the software. The system should be deployed on a dedicated server within a protected enclave where strict access controls are in place to allow access only to authorized team members. In addition, system owners should follow the security guidance issued by MediaWiki. System owners need to stay informed of the MediaWiki development activities to ensure software updates and patches to the software are tested and installed in a timely manner. Additionally, system owners need to constantly monitor the various resources within the MediaWiki community to get the most up-to-date information on known vulnerabilities as well as solutions to mitigate or remediate the vulnerabilities.

Note:

At the time of writing, version 1.39.3 is the most current version.

References

The following reference(s) are associated with this entry:
Type	Name	Source	Description
Vendor Provided*	Download Page	Publicly Available	This page contains the download for the current version, as well as the release notes.
*NOTE: Vendor provided information is subject to the accuracy of the manufacturer.

Technology Components

Note: This list may not be complete. No component, listed or unlisted, may be used outside of the technology in which it is released. The usage decision for a component is found in the Decision and Decision Constraints.
Name	Description
No components have been identified for this entry.

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Domain Area	Category	Customer Guidance	Category Locked By ELT Date
Collaboration and Electronic Workplace Collaboration Software	Real-Time and Team Collaboration

Open Source

This entry is available as an open source technology.

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

macOS - Approved w/Constraints
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) - Approved w/Constraints
Solaris - Approved w/Constraints
Windows Client - Approved w/Constraints
Windows Server - Approved w/Constraints

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

This technology is available at no cost through open source licensing and supports VA`s open source initiative.
This is a well-documented technology.
This technology may improve productivity for specific staff whose responsibilities include helping users collect and organize knowledge and make it available to other people.
At the time of writing, there are a limited number of TRM options providing this functionality. The addition of this technology will provide end users with multiple viable options.

Adoption Risks

This technology can integrate with and alter database technologies.
The potential exists to store Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI) and/or VA Sensitive data and proper security standards must be followed in these cases.
This technology can optionally use Maria Database (MariaDB) Server, an unapproved technology.
Due to the rapid release schedule of this technology, the VA may be unable to update to the most recent patch and may require a deployment model requiring the use of specific versions.
This product has many known vulnerabilities that allow unauthorized access, disclosure, or modification of content if left unpatched.
This product can be configured with a PostgreSQL Database, which currently has TRM constraints limiting its use to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) only due to its many known security issues on other platforms.
This product can be configured with a MySQL Commercial Edition Database, which currently has TRM constraints limiting its use to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) only due to its many known security issues on other platforms.
There are known Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) associated with this technology. Please see https://nvd.NIST.gov/vuln/search for more details.
The product is not Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 certified. Content generated through the use of this product may contain VA sensitive information, since open collaboration is encouraged within this model.
As this is an open source application, software issues may arise from the lack of software updates. Without a responsible vendor`s commitment to provide updates to patch known vulnerabilities, the application is left vulnerable to malicious attacks.

Architectural Benefits

This technology is portable as it runs on multiple TRM-approved operating systems.
This technology is compatible with multiple other Technical Reference Model (TRM) technologies and standards used by the organization.

Architectural Risks

This technology does not use a VA-preferred database to store data.

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Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

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Comparable Technologies:

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