SecureTransport: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements Used in a Template Engine
CVE-2026-9177 is a critical-severity improper neutralization of special elements used in a template engine vulnerability in SecureTransport from Axway, 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. The record lists version 5.5-20260528 as the first without the flaw, so updating SecureTransport to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.5% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Update SecureTransport to 5.5-20260528 or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axway | SecureTransport | 5.5-20260326 up to, but not including, 5.5-20260528 | 5.5-20260528 |
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.
Official description
A Server-Side Template Injection (SSTI) vulnerability was identified in the mail template functionality of the Axway SecureTransport product in version 5.5-20260326. This flaw allows an attacker with admin privileges to inject arbitrary Java code expressions, which are executed server-side when the template is rendered (i.e., during email sending). Successful exploitation of this flaw allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the server that results in full host compromise. This issue affects all Axway SecureTransport versions prior 5.5-20260528 update.
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.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
Recent Improper Neutralization of Special Elements Used in a Template Engine vulnerabilities
- 9.9 Critical severity
- 10.0 Critical severity
- 9.4 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 8.9 High severity
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