How severe is CVE-2022-26491?

CVE-2022-26491 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.9, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.

Is CVE-2022-26491 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (82nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2022-26491?

CVE-2022-26491 primarily affects Pidgin. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2022-26491?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2022-26491 published?

CVE-2022-26491 was published on 2022-06-02 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2022-26491

CVE-2022-26491 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Pidgin with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.9. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-295.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.9)
CVSS v2: 4.3
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (82nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-295
Affected product: Pidgin
Published: 2022-06-02
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An issue was discovered in Pidgin before 2.14.9. A remote attacker who can spoof DNS responses can redirect a client connection to a malicious server. The client will perform TLS certificate verification of the malicious domain name instead of the original XMPP service domain, allowing the attacker to take over control over the XMPP connection and to obtain user credentials and all communication content. This is similar to CVE-2022-24968.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2022-26491?: An issue was discovered in Pidgin before 2.14.9. A remote attacker who can spoof DNS responses can redirect a client connection to a malicious server. The client will perform TLS certificate verification of the malicious domain name instead of the original XMPP service domain, allowing the attacker to take over control over the XMPP connection and to obtain user credentials and all communication content. This is similar to CVE-2022-24968.
How severe is CVE-2022-26491?: CVE-2022-26491 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.9, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2022-26491 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (82nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2022-26491?: CVE-2022-26491 primarily affects Pidgin. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2022-26491?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2022-26491 published?: CVE-2022-26491 was published on 2022-06-02 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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