Last modified: 2011-04-30 01:16:50 UTC
We see in RELEASE-NOTES: = MediaWiki release notes = Security reminder: MediaWiki does not require PHP's register_globals setting since version 1.2.0. If you have it on, turn it *off* if you can. ADD here also: MediaWiki will work, but your server is more exposed to PHP-based security vulnerabilities. Just like you mention elsewhere in the file tree. Else one will worry. In fact you might mention that not only will it work, it will also protect itself too.
We get extensions committed fairly regularly that are vulnerable with register_globals enabled. And until recently, the core web installer was vulnerable. I think it's well worth the worry.