medium CVSS 6.8 EPSS 0.74%

CVE-2026-23946·Python vulnerability

Tendenci is an open source content management system built for non-profits, associations and cause-based sites. Versions 15.3.11 and below include a critical deserialization vulnerability in the Helpdesk module (which is not enabled by default). This vulnerability allows Remote Code Execution (RCE) by an authenticated user with staff security level due to using Python's pickle module in helpdesk /reports/. The original CVE-2020-14942 was incompletely patched. While ticket_list() was fixed to use safe JSON deserialization, the run_report() function still uses unsafe pickle.loads(). The impact is limited to the permissions of the user running the application, typically www-data, which generally lacks write (except for upload directories) and execute permissions. This issue has been fixed in version 15.3.12.

Severity
medium
Software
Python
Fixed in
15.3.12
Published

How likely is exploitation

FIRST's Exploit Prediction Scoring System puts the probability of this CVE being exploited in the next 30 days at 0.74% — higher than 51% of all published CVEs. EPSS is an independent forecast of exploitation, not a severity rating: it says nothing about how much damage a successful attack does, which is what a CVSS score measures.

Affected versions

Until: 15.3.12

Fixed in: 15.3.12

How to fix this CVE

Update Python to the latest version available for your distribution to ensure security patches are applied. If you are running Tendenci CMS, upgrade to version 15.3.12 or later, which replaces unsafe pickle deserialization with secure JSON handling in the Helpdesk module's reporting functions. Verify the upgrade completes successfully and restart your application services.

sudo dnf update python3

Defensia detects this vulnerability

WAF mitigation (if patching is not yet possible)

Add this rule to your WAF to block exploitation attempts while you schedule the patch. 

Implement access controls restricting /helpdesk/reports/ endpoints to authenticated users with staff-level privileges only. Monitor POST/GET requests to /reports/ for suspicious parameters or encoded payloads. Consider implementing request signature validation or rate limiting on reporting endpoints.

How to check if you are affected

  1. Run `python3 --version` to confirm your current Python installation version
  2. If running Tendenci, check your installation: `pip show tendenci | grep Version` or inspect /path/to/tendenci/setup.py for version <= 15.3.11
  3. Search application logs for calls to `/reports/` endpoint: `grep -r 'reports/' /var/log/application/ | grep -i 'pickle\|deserialization'`
  4. Verify the patch by checking if run_report() in helpdesk/reports.py uses json.loads() instead of pickle.loads(): `grep -n 'pickle.loads\|json.loads' /path/to/tendenci/helpdesk/reports.py`

FAQ

What is CVE-2026-23946?

This is a deserialization vulnerability in Tendenci's Helpdesk module that allows authenticated staff-level users to execute arbitrary Python code through the reporting interface. The vulnerability stems from incomplete patching of an earlier flaw—while some functions were fixed to use safe JSON deserialization, the run_report() function continued using Python's unsafe pickle.loads().

Is CVE-2026-23946 being actively exploited?

No, this vulnerability is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, and no public exploit code is available.

What versions of Python are affected by CVE-2026-23946?

Tendenci versions 15.3.11 and below are vulnerable. The vulnerability is fixed in version 15.3.12 and later. This affects Python environments running vulnerable Tendenci installations.

How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2026-23946?

Run `pip show tendenci | grep Version` to check your installed version. If the version is 15.3.11 or lower, your installation is vulnerable. Additionally, verify that the Helpdesk module is enabled in your Tendenci configuration.

Does Defensia detect CVE-2026-23946?

Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If Tendenci or Python packages are installed on a monitored server, CVE-2026-23946 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.

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References

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