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CVE Record

CVE-2026-23560: Multiple RBAC issues in XAPI

[This CNA information record relates to multiple CVEs; the text explains which aspects/vulnerabilities correspond to which CVE.] XAPI can configure different users with different roles, using Role Based Access Control. For more details, see: https://docs.xenserver.com/en-us/xencenter/current-release/rbac-overview.html#rbac-roles The pool-admin role is fully privileged. Notably, users with this role can also SSH into the host as root. The other administrator roles are pool-operator, vm-power-admin and vm-admin, each of which are authorised to configure and manage various aspects of the system. Some settings are inadequately restricted, and can be set by a lower privilege of administrator than expected. * CVE-2026-23559: A vm-admin can set VBD.other_config:backend-local and turn arbitrary files in dom0 into VDIs (virtual disks) and give said disks to a VM they control. This is an arbitrary read and/or modify of files in dom0. * CVE-2026-23560: A vm-admin can set VM.other-config:is_system_domain and mark a VM as a system domain. System domains are ignored and left running during certain other host/pool operations, and may be hidden from view in tooling. * CVE-2026-23561: A vm-admin can set VM.other_config:storage_driver_domain and mark a VM as the storage domain for a particular host storage connection (PBD). Shutting down the VM can cause the PBD to be erroneously marked as unplugged when it is not. * CVE-2026-23562: Configuration of PCI passthrough is normally restricted to the pool-admin role. However one API was missing this check, allowing a vm-admin access to unintended host hardware. * CVE-2026-42486: A vm-admin can set the VM.platform:hvm_serial parameter, which should be restricted to the pool-admin role, as it can allow arbitrary dom0 file write.

CriticalCVSS 9.4Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysiscritical

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This CVE is an RBAC failure in Xen XAPI. A user with the vm-admin role can mark a VM as a system domain, a status that should be more tightly controlled. That can cause the VM to stay running during some host or pool operations and possibly disappear from normal tooling views.

Executive priority

Treat as urgent for Xen XAPI environments with delegated administration. The risk is not described as internet-remote, but misuse of vm-admin access could undermine operational controls and maintenance assumptions across hosts or pools.

Technical view

CVE-2026-23560 allows vm-admin users to set VM.other-config:is_system_domain in XAPI. The source states system domains are ignored and left running during certain host or pool operations and may be hidden from tooling. The record assigns CVSS 4.0 score 9.4 and CWE-250, but no exploit details are provided.

Likely exposure

Organizations using Xen XAPI RBAC with delegated vm-admin users are the most relevant exposure. The source bundle lists Xen XAPI, all versions, but does not identify downstream product packaging, cloud provider exposure, or exact fixed versions.

Exploitation context

The bundle does not report active exploitation, and KEV is false. Practical abuse appears to require access able to act as vm-admin in XAPI. The issue is operationally serious because it can affect VM visibility and host or pool maintenance behavior.

Researcher notes

The available evidence is limited to the CVE record and Xen advisory reference. Do not conflate this CVE with the related XSA-489 issues involving dom0 file access, PCI passthrough, or hvm_serial; those are separate CVEs in the same advisory set.

Mitigation direction

  • Review Xen XSA-489 and vendor guidance for fixed versions or hotfixes.
  • Restrict vm-admin assignments until patched or vendor mitigations are applied.
  • Audit VMs for unexpected VM.other-config:is_system_domain settings.
  • Review RBAC delegations for users allowed to manage VMs.
  • Monitor management tooling for hidden or unexpected system-domain VMs.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Xen XAPI deployments and RBAC-enabled pools.
  • Identify all users or integrations with vm-admin privileges.
  • Check for VMs marked with VM.other-config:is_system_domain unexpectedly.
  • Confirm patch or mitigation status against Xen XSA-489.
  • Review recent VM configuration changes by delegated administrators.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
3

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

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cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-250: Exact CWE lookup

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Open ATT&CK lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2026-23560 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Critical
CVSS
9.4 (4.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
1ADP providers
2Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: total

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
9.4CVSS 4.0CriticalCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:HXEN

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 4.0 score

9.4Critical
CVSS 4.0 vector shape for CVE-2026-23560Attack VectorAttack ComplexityAttack RequirementsPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionVS ConfidentialityVS IntegrityVS AvailabilitySS ConfidentialitySS IntegritySS Availability

Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Attack Requirements
NonePresent
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NonePassiveActive
VS Confidentiality
HighLowNone
VS Integrity
HighLowNone
VS Availability
HighLowNone
SS Confidentiality
HighLowNone
SS Integrity
HighLowNone
SS Availability
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
XenXAPIallunaffected
Weakness

CWE details

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.