Quick answer
Direct answer
Risk scores
| CVSS metric | What it means |
|---|---|
| Attack vector (AV:N) | Network: reachable remotely |
| Attack complexity (AC:L) | Low complexity |
| Attack requirements (AT:P) | Attack requirements present |
| Privileges required (PR:L) | Low privileges required |
| User interaction (UI:N) | No user interaction |
| Confidentiality (VC:H) | High confidentiality impact |
| Integrity (VI:H) | High integrity impact |
| Availability (VA:H) | High availability impact |
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
About Zabbix
CVE-2026-23920 affects Zabbix, a product from Zabbix. Before acting, confirm where Zabbix runs in your estate, who owns it and whether it is reachable from the internet, because exposure decides real risk more than the score alone.
What the flaw is
In plain terms: Host and event action script input is validated with a regex (set by the administrator), but the validation runs in multiline mode. If ^ and $ anchors are used in user input validation, an injected newline lets authenticated users bypass the check and inject shell commands.
The weakness class is OS Command Injection. Untrusted input is passed to the operating system shell, letting an attacker run commands.
Based on its CVSS vector, the flaw can be reached over the network, needs some level of access, and needs no user interaction. Apply the vendor fix and confirm exposure on internet facing and business critical assets first.
Affected versions and timeline
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product | Zabbix |
| Affected versions | Zabbix from 7.0.0 before 7.0.22; Zabbix from 7.2.0 before 7.2.15; Zabbix from 7.4.0 before 7.4.6 |
| Published | Mar 24, 2026 |
| Last modified | Sep 10, 2026 |
| Added to CISA KEV | Not listed |
| Assigning CNA | security@zabbix.com |
How to detect it
- Inventory every instance of Zabbix and record the running version against the affected range above.
- Check external attack surface scans for internet facing instances of the component.
- Review logs on affected systems for unusual requests, errors or new processes around the vulnerable function.
- Confirm with an authenticated vulnerability scan once your scanner has a check for this CVE.
How to fix it
- Apply the fixed version of Zabbix named in the vendor advisory.
- If patching must wait, restrict network access to the affected service and put it behind authentication or a web application firewall rule.
- Rescan after the change to prove the exposure is gone, then close the ticket.
CTEM action plan
| CTEM stage | What to do for this CVE |
|---|---|
| Scope | Add every business service that depends on Zabbix to the current CTEM cycle. |
| Discover | Find all instances, including shadow and cloud deployments, and record versions and exposure. |
| Prioritize | Rank using EPSS and CVSS together with asset exposure and business impact. |
| Validate | Confirm the flaw is reachable and exploitable in your environment and that compensating controls work. |
| Mobilize | Assign the fix to the asset owner with a due date matched to the priority, then verify closure. |
CWE References
- CWE-78: OS Command Injection More CVEs with this weakness
Technical References
Frequently asked questions
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