Medium severity · published Feb 6, 2026
CVE-2026-23739
Asterisk xml.c uses unsafe XML_PARSE_NOENT leading to potential XXE Injection
6.5
CVSS
0.2%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
Asterisk is an open source private branch exchange and telephony toolkit. Prior to versions 20.7-cert9, 20.18.2, 21.12.1, 22.8.2, and 23.2.2, the ast_xml_open() function in xml.c parses XML documents using libxml with unsafe parsing options that enable entity expansion and XInclude processing. Specifically, it invokes xmlReadFile() with the XML_PARSE_NOENT flag and later processes XIncludes via xmlXIncludeProcess().If any untrusted or user-supplied XML file is passed to this function, it can allow an attacker to trigger XML External Entity (XXE) or XInclude-based local file disclosure, potentially exposing sensitive files from the host system. This can also be triggered in other cases in which the user is able to supply input in xml format that triggers the asterisk process to parse it. This issue has been patched in versions 20.7-cert9, 20.18.2, 21.12.1, 22.8.2, and 23.2.2.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
Required
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.2% · higher than 11% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
AS
asterisk · asterisk
< 23.2.2; < 22.8.2; < 21.12.1; < 20.18.2; < 20.7-cert9 · source: vendor, NVD
CA
Certified Asterisk · Sangoma
through 18.9; 20.7; 20.7; 20.7; 20.7; 20.7; +5 more · source: NVD
Affected product
AS
asterisk
asterisk
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