Authenticated code execution via unsafe manifest deserialization
Published May 18, 2026 · Updated May 18, 2026
Unsafe deserialization in FreePBX backup before 16.0.71 and 17.0.6 allows remote authenticated users to execute code during restore. BackupSplFileInfo::getMetadata reads an extracted manifest and passes it to unserialize() without validation, integrity checks, or class restrictions. Access to the restore workflow or write access to backup files is required, and successful exploitation runs code as the web server user.
Summary
What happened
Unsafe deserialization in FreePBX backup before 16.0.71 and 17.0.6 allows remote authenticated users to execute code during restore. BackupSplFileInfo::getMetadata reads an extracted manifest and passes it to unserialize() without validation, integrity checks, or class restrictions. Access to the restore workflow or write access to backup files is required, and successful exploitation runs code as the web server user.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-26978
- Published
- May 18, 2026
- Updated
- May 18, 2026
- Vendor
- FreePBX
- Product
- Backup & Restore
- Classifications
- CWE-502, T1190
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 18, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 18, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=< 16.0.71
- Affected versionversion=>= 17.0.0, < 17.0.6
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo