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mediumInjectionpublic exploit

CVE-2026-19596

CVE-2026-19596 — OpenNMS XML collector XXE allows arbitrary file read from the OpenNMS host

An XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability exists in the XML collector of multiple versions of OpenNMS Meridian and Horizon. When OpenNMS collects XML from a source whose response is attacker-controlled (for example a compromised monitored host or an HTTP man-in-the-middle position), the collector's XML parser resolves external entities and external DTDs. This allows an attacker to read files accessible to the OpenNMS service account, including database credentials, and to induce out-of-band requests. The solution is to upgrade to Meridian 2024.3.13, 2025.0.10 and Horizon 36.0.4 or newer. Meridian and Horizon installation instructions state that they are intended for installation within an organization's private networks and should not be directly accessible from the Internet.

Published Updated Sources: NVD, The OpenNMS Group (CNA), GitHub, SOCRadar CTI

Triage

Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the scoring sources call it.

Exploitation

Exploit code

public exploit, none observed

EPSS

0%

ahead of 0% of scored CVEs

Affects

The OpenNMS Group

3 products listed

CVSS base

5.9

medium

CISA SSVC assessment

Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses · SSVC 2.0.3. A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.

CISA

Exploitation

None

none · proof-of-concept · active

Automatable

No

can an attacker script all four kill-chain steps

Technical impact

Partial

partial · total control of the vulnerable component

Remediation

The vendor's own words where we have them.

Upgrade to Meridian 2024.3.13, 2025.0.10 and Horizon 36.0.4 or newer.

First 24 hours

Ordered from the record's own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found.

  • Identify exposed assets running affected vendor/product/version combinations.
  • Prioritize based on EPSS, PoC availability, and external exposure.
  • Search available logs for exploit probes, errors, authentication anomalies, or suspicious child processes matching the vulnerability class.

Affected scope

Vendor, product and version as the advisories word them.

VendorProductVersionsStatus
The OpenNMS GroupMeridian2024.1.0 to < 2024.3.13Vulnerable
The OpenNMS GroupMeridian2025.0.0 to < 2025.0.10Vulnerable
The OpenNMS GroupHorizon36.0.0 to < 36.0.4Vulnerable

Attack characteristics

The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.

Availability

None

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

None

Scope

Unchanged

Attack Complexity

High

Attack Vector

Network

Privileges Req

None

User Interaction

None

Every base score collected

Sources score independently and disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.

ScoreVersionSeverityExpl.ImpactSource
5.9CVSS 3.1medium2.23.6opennms.com (CNA), The OpenNMS Group (CNA)

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

What this weakness leads to

MITRE's own consequences and mitigations for the weakness class — the authority's wording, not guidance derived from the CVSS vector.

MITRE

CWE-611 · Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference

  • Read Application Data
  • Read Files or Directories
  • Bypass Protection Mechanism
  • DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU)

Mitigation: Many XML parsers and validators can be configured to disable external entity expansion.::

Weakness & attack patterns

  • CWE-611XML External Entity Reference

Attack patterns reported against this CVE. The ATT&CK techniques below are inferred from its weakness class.

CAPEC-221 · Data Serialization External Entities Blowup

Public exploit

Capability, not use: code existing is a different claim from anyone running it.

Repositories

4

Detection

Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not rules we have tested.

  • Prioritize edge telemetry for network-reachable Meridian, Horizon.
  • Monitor for scanner or exploit-pattern traffic after 4 public PoC repositories were reported.
web/proxy/WAF logsapplication logsnetwork IDS/IPSdatabase audit logs

Timeline

What happened to this CVE, newest first — with the readings a source repeats on a schedule counted underneath rather than listed.

  1. 2026
  2. Added · CVSS 3.1 5.9 (AV:N)

    Sep 10, 2026 · NVD

  3. Initial · CVE published

    Sep 10, 2026 · NVD

  4. CVE published by MITRE.

    Sep 10, 2026 · SOCRadar CTI

References

1 on the record

Elsewhere on this site

Not in any source we poll

Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.

  • No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
  • No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
  • No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record1

What should defenders know first?

CVE-2026-19596 is OpenNMS XML collector XXE allows arbitrary file read from the OpenNMS host, a medium vulnerability affecting Meridian, Horizon from The OpenNMS Group. The current evidence does not list it in CISA KEV, and the exploit status is: Active exploitation is not confirmed from current sources for CVE-2026-19596. Public exploit evidence is: 4 public PoC repositories reported; 0 marked weaponized in current dataset. The affected-version evidence is listed in the key facts and affected products tables. Defenders should first verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run those versions, then apply vendor patches or mitigations, restrict reachable attack surface, and preserve logs for detection review. CVSS 5.9 describes technical severity, while EPSS 0% helps estimate near-term exploit likelihood; neither replaces asset context. Unknown fields should remain explicit in tickets, and threat actor, IOC, victimology, or payload claims should not be added unless a cited source supports them. Monitor CISA KEV, vendor advisories, NVD changes, public PoC repositories, and internal telemetry for update triggers.