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CVE-2026-14261 – Authentication Bypass and RCE – Xerte Online Tools before 3.14.6 / 3.15.5

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Summary

CVE-2026-14261 is a critical authentication bypass and remote code execution vulnerability in Xerte Online Tools (Xerte Online Toolkits), an open-source web-based e-learning authoring platform widely deployed by universities and educational institutions. The flaw, classified under CWE-288 (Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel), carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.1 (Critical) and is exploitable by unauthenticated remote attackers with no user interaction required. Patches are available in versions 3.14.6 and 3.15.5.

Technical details

  • Root cause: The /setup/ installation directory remains publicly accessible on deployed Xerte instances after initial setup is complete. No access control or post-installation removal mechanism existed prior to the fix, leaving the reinstallation workflow reachable from the internet.
  • Trigger conditions: No authentication is required. Any unauthenticated network-accessible attacker who can reach the /setup/ path can trigger the vulnerability.
  • Attack vector: An attacker accesses the exposed /setup/ folder and initiates a reinstallation of the Xerte application, redirecting it to connect to an attacker-controlled remote database. This effectively replaces the application’s legitimate database configuration with one the attacker controls.
  • Impact: Successful exploitation results in authentication bypass — the legitimate application credential store is supplanted — and remote code execution through control of the underlying database. The CVSS v3.1 vector reflects High Confidentiality impact and High Integrity impact, with no Availability impact scored.

Affected software

  • Xerte Online Tools (Xerte Online Toolkits) — all versions before 3.14.6 (3.14.x branch)
  • Xerte Online Tools (Xerte Online Toolkits) — all versions before 3.15.5 (3.15.x branch)

Severity

  • CVSS v3.1 Base Score: 9.1 (Critical)
  • Vector String: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

Mitigation and recommended actions

  • Immediate: Upgrade to Xerte Online Tools 3.14.6 or 3.15.5, which introduce automatic removal of the /setup/ directory upon completion of installation, eliminating the exposed attack surface entirely.
  • If immediate patching is not possible: Manually delete or remove web server access to the /setup/ directory on all internet-exposed Xerte instances. This is the post-installation guidance that existed prior to the patch and prevents unauthenticated access to the reinstallation workflow.
  • Administrators should also audit server configurations to confirm that the /setup/ path is not reachable from the public internet on any deployed instance.

IONIX Status

The IONIX research team is tracking ongoing exploitation attempts and recommends immediate patching. Potentially affected assets are outlined in this post.

References

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