[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.
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.
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
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
cwe · low confidence lookup
CWE-250: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
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.