CVE-2026-23760
SmarterTools SmarterMail Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel Vulnerability
Does this matter?
Known to be exploited in the wild (CISA KEV, CISA remediation deadline 16 February 2026). Treat as an emergency change: patch or isolate now, then hunt for prior compromise.
Description
SmarterTools SmarterMail versions prior to build 9511 contain an authentication bypass vulnerability in the password reset API. The force-reset-password endpoint permits anonymous requests and fails to verify the existing password or a reset token when resetting system administrator accounts. An unauthenticated attacker can supply a target administrator username and a new password to reset the account, resulting in full administrative compromise of the SmarterMail instance. NOTE: SmarterMail system administrator privileges grant the ability to execute operating system commands via built-in management functionality, effectively providing administrative (SYSTEM or root) access on the underlying host.
- CVSS 4.0
- 9.3 CRITICALCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/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/M
- EPSS
- 96.43% probability · 100th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Listed 26 January 2026 · due 16 February 2026 · used in ransomware campaigns
- Weakness
- CWE-288
- Affected
- smartertools/smartermail
- Source
- disclosure@vulncheck.com
EPSS 96.4% since 30 October 2026; no change recorded yet. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
CISA notes
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. https://www.smartertools.com/smartermail/release-notes/current ; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-23760
References
- https://code-white.com/public-vulnerability-list/#authenticationserviceforceresetpassword-missing-authentication-in-smartermailThird Party Advisory
- https://labs.watchtowr.com/attackers-with-decompilers-strike-again-smartertools-smartermail-wt-2026-0001-auth-bypass/Exploit, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.smartertools.com/smartermail/release-notes/currentRelease Notes
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/smartertools-smartermail-authentication-bypass-via-password-reset-apiThird Party Advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-23760US Government Resource
- https://www.huntress.com/blog/smartermail-account-takeover-leading-to-rceExploit, Third Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.