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Xerte Online ToolkitsApplication · Apereo

CVE-2026-32985

CRITICAL · 9.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-03-20
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to after 3.14.0 or later.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Public exploit Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

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 · unedited
Xerte Online Toolkits versions 3.14 and earlier contain an unauthenticated arbitrary file upload vulnerability in the template import functionality that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by uploading a crafted ZIP archive containing malicious PHP payloads. Attackers can bypass authentication checks in the import.php file to upload a template archive with PHP code in the media directory, which gets extracted to a web-accessible path where the malicious PHP can be directly accessed and executed under the web server context.

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 confidence

Xerte Online Toolkits versions 3.14 and earlier have an unauthenticated arbitrary file upload vulnerability in the template import functionality. Attackers can bypass authentication in import.php to upload a crafted ZIP archive containing malicious PHP files. These PHP files are extracted to a web-accessible path where they can be directly accessed and executed, achieving remote code execution.

MitigationImmediately restrict or disable the template import functionality until a patched version is available. Alternatively, implement strict file type validation, disable PHP execution in upload directories, and add authentication requirements to import.php.

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
Xerte Online ToolkitsApplication
Affected:<= 3.14.0

CVSS 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
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Locate Xerte Online Toolkits installation and identify version
    Search the web server document root for Xerte installation directories (commonly 'xerte', 'xerte-online-toolkits', or similar). Look for a version file or check the main PHP files for version strings (often in a 'version.php' or similar file in the root directory). Compare the installed version to the affected range (<=3.14.0).
    Affected if The installed version is 3.14.0 or earlier.
  2. Confirm import.php exists and is accessible
    Check the Xerte installation root for the file 'import.php'. Verify it exists in a web-accessible path (typically the same directory as other Xerte PHP files).
    Affected if import.php exists in the web-accessible Xerte directory.
  3. Verify media directory is web-accessible
    Locate the 'media' or 'uploads' directory within the Xerte installation. Confirm it is configured to be served by the web server (check the directory is not blocked by .htaccess rules or web server configuration restrictions).
    Affected if The media directory is web-accessible and allows file execution (PHP files can be accessed via HTTP).
  4. Check if template import functionality is enabled
    Examine the Xerte configuration files for any settings that control the template import feature. Look for import-related flags or permissions in config files. Also verify the import.php endpoint responds without requiring authentication.
    Affected if The template import functionality is enabled and import.php can be accessed without authentication.

A system is affected if Xerte Online Toolkits version 3.14.0 or earlier is installed, the import.php file exists in a web-accessible path, the media directory is web-server accessible, and unauthenticated access to the template import feature is allowed.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to a release after 3.14.0
Interim mitigation

Immediately restrict or disable the template import functionality until a patched version is available. Alternatively, implement strict file type validation, disable PHP execution in upload directories, and add authentication requirements to import.php.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Xerte Online Toolkits 3.15 or later stable release

  1. 1. Check the official Xerte Online Toolkits project website (xot.xerte.org.uk) or GitHub repository for the latest stable release version.
  2. 2. Download the latest version (verify it is version 3.15 or later which should contain the security fix).
  3. 3. Backup the existing installation including the database and all configuration files.
  4. 4. Disable or restrict access to the /import.php endpoint as an interim mitigation while preparing the upgrade.
  5. 5. Deploy the upgraded version following the standard upgrade procedures documented by the project.
  6. 6. After upgrading, verify that the template import functionality now properly enforces authentication.
  7. 7. Confirm that previously uploaded malicious files in web-accessible directories have been removed.
Caveat Review release notes for any changes to template import functionality or required PHP version updates that may affect compatibility

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Xerte Online Toolkits Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation6.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
15.0 hours of engineering $2,640
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $4,224.

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-32985 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • 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