CVE-2026-22601
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedOpenProject is an open-source, web-based project management software. For OpenProject version 16.6.1 and below, a registered administrator can execute arbitrary command by configuring sendmail binary path and sending a test email. This issue has been patched in version 16.6.2.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceOpenProject versions 16.6.1 and below contain an authenticated command injection vulnerability where a registered administrator can execute arbitrary OS commands by manipulating the sendmail binary path configuration and triggering a test email send. The application insecurely passes the configured path to a system call without proper sanitization, allowing command injection via semicolons or other shell metacharacters in the path parameter.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 16.6.2CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- High
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify OpenProject versionLocate the installed OpenProject version number (typically visible in the UI footer, in the administration panel under 'About', or via command line if you have server access). Compare this to the affected range: versions below 16.6.2 are vulnerable.Affected if Installed version is 16.6.1 or lower
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Confirm administrative accessVerify if your user account has administrator privileges within OpenProject. Navigate to Administration > Users and check your role, or attempt to access the Administration menu.Affected if Your account is a registered administrator with access to system settings
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Locate mail configuration settingsIn the OpenProject administration panel, navigate to the Email settings or Notifications section where sendmail or SMTP configuration is defined. This is typically under Administration > Settings > Emails (or similar path depending on exact version).Affected if Mail configuration interface is accessible to your administrator account
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Inspect sendmail binary pathExamine the current value of the 'sendmail binary path' or 'mailer' configuration setting. Look for the complete configured path string that specifies where the sendmail executable is located.Affected if A sendmail binary path is configured (the vulnerability applies when this path can be modified)
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Check for shell metacharacters in pathReview the configured sendmail path for any semicolons (;), pipes (|), ampersands (&), quotes, or other shell metacharacters that could indicate attempted exploitation. Also check if the path points to an unexpected or suspicious location.Affected if The configured path contains shell metacharacters or points to an unusual executable location
You are affected if running OpenProject version 16.6.1 or below and your instance has an administrator account that can access and modify the sendmail binary path configuration.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped16.6.2
Upgrade OpenProject to version 16.6.2 or later. If immediate patching is not possible, restrict administrative access to trusted users and monitor for unauthorized configuration changes to the mail settings.
16.6.2
- Backup your OpenProject database before proceeding with the upgrade
- Ensure you have sufficient downtime window for the upgrade process
- Upgrade OpenProject to version 16.6.2 using your installation method (e.g., package manager, Docker, or source)
- After upgrade, verify the sendmail configuration is properly sanitized in the email settings
- Test that email sending functionality works correctly
- Confirm the new version is running by checking the OpenProject admin panel
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation1.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2026-22601 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-22601 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data