CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-28496NVD status: Deferred

FOSSBilling: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements Used in a Template Engine

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-28496 is a critical-severity improper neutralization of special elements used in a template engine vulnerability in FOSSBilling, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 9.4 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with administrator privileges, without any action from a user. Affected FOSSBilling versions: < 0.8.0. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.91% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 80% of scored CVEs.

Patch this week

Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.

What to do

  1. Check which version of FOSSBilling you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
  2. Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
FOSSBillingFOSSBilling< 0.8.0Not stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Attack requirements
NoneThe attack does not depend on a particular deployment or configuration.
Privileges required
HighAdministrator-level access is required first.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
HighSerious loss of confidentiality on the vulnerable system.
Integrity (vulnerable system)
HighSerious loss of integrity on the vulnerable system.
Availability (vulnerable system)
HighSerious loss of availability on the vulnerable system.
Confidentiality (other systems)
HighSerious loss of confidentiality on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Integrity (other systems)
HighSerious loss of integrity on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Availability (other systems)
HighSerious loss of availability on systems beyond the vulnerable one.

Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/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. Scored by CNA (github.com).

Official description

FOSSBilling is a free, open-source billing and client management system. Versions prior to 0.8.0 have a Server-Side Template Injection (SSTI) vulnerability in the template rendering system. Administrators with access to features that render Twig templates (email templates, mass mail campaigns, custom payment adapters, and the `string_render` API endpoint) can inject arbitrary Twig expressions, leading to information disclosure and remote code execution. The vulnerability exists because Twig templates are rendered without a sandbox, allowing access to the full Twig environment, API context, and the application's dependency injection container. Version 0.8.0 patches the issue. Some workarounds are available. Audit existing email templates for suspicious Twig expressions, rotate all admin and client API tokens, and/or block external access to /api/system/* at reverse proxy/WAF to mitigate chaining with GHSA-78x5-c8gw-8279.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements Used in a Template Engine

The product uses a template engine to insert or process externally-influenced input, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements or syntax that can be interpreted as template expressions or other code directives when processed by the engine.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Choose a template engine that offers a sandbox or restricted mode, or at least limits the power of any available expressions, function calls, or commands.
  • Use the template engine's sandbox or restricted mode, if available.

More Improper Neutralization of Special Elements Used in a Template Engine vulnerabilities (CWE-1336)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).

References

Other vulnerabilities in FOSSBilling

All FOSSBilling vulnerabilities

Recent Improper Neutralization of Special Elements Used in a Template Engine vulnerabilities

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