CVE-2026-23614 is a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in GFI Software's MailEssentials AI product, specifically affecting versions prior to 22.4. The vulnerability resides in the Sender Policy Framework (SPF) IP Exceptions interface, where an authenticated user can supply malicious HTML or JavaScript code through the ctl00$ContentPlaceHolder1$pv2$txtIPDescription parameter on the /MailEssentials/pages/MailSecurity/SenderPolicyFramework.aspx page. This input is stored persistently and subsequently rendered in the management interface without proper sanitization or encoding, leading to script execution within the context of any logged-in user who views the affected page. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation), a common XSS category. Exploitation requires the attacker to have valid credentials (authenticated user) and involves some user interaction (e.g., viewing the maliciously crafted page). The CVSS 4.0 vector indicates network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:L - low privileges), user interaction required (UI:P), and low impact on confidentiality and integrity but no impact on availability. Although no known exploits have been reported in the wild, the vulnerability could be leveraged for session hijacking, privilege escalation, or unauthorized administrative actions within the MailEssentials AI management console. The absence of a patch link suggests that a fix may be pending or not yet publicly available, emphasizing the need for interim mitigations.

The primary impact of this vulnerability is the potential for attackers with valid credentials to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of other authenticated users, including administrators. This can lead to session hijacking, theft of sensitive information, unauthorized changes to email security policies, or further compromise of the email infrastructure. Since MailEssentials AI is used to protect email systems, exploitation could undermine email security, allowing malicious emails to bypass filters or enabling attackers to manipulate SPF policies. This could result in increased phishing, spam, or malware delivery risks. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality and integrity of the management interface but does not directly impact availability. Organizations relying on GFI MailEssentials AI for email security may face increased risk of targeted attacks, especially if attackers can escalate privileges or pivot to other internal systems. The medium CVSS score reflects moderate risk but should not be underestimated given the critical role of email security in organizational operations.

1. Upgrade to GFI MailEssentials AI version 22.4 or later once available, as this will likely contain the official patch addressing the vulnerability. 2. Until a patch is released, restrict access to the Sender Policy Framework IP Exceptions interface to only highly trusted administrators and limit the number of users with write access to this interface. 3. Implement strict input validation and output encoding on the txtIPDescription parameter to neutralize any HTML or JavaScript content before storage and rendering. 4. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious payloads targeting the vulnerable parameter. 5. Monitor logs for unusual activity or attempts to inject scripts in the management interface. 6. Educate administrators about the risk of clicking on suspicious links or interacting with untrusted inputs within the management console. 7. Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all users accessing the MailEssentials AI management interface to reduce risk from compromised credentials. 8. Regularly audit user privileges and remove unnecessary access to reduce the attack surface.