# CVE-2026-23753: GFI HelpDesk < 4.99.9 Stored XSS via charset Parameter

> An authenticated administrator can inject arbitrary JavaScript via the charset parameter, leading to code execution in other administrators' browsers.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.8 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:P/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:L/SI:L/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 20 Apr 2026
- **Updated:** 1 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xj4v-3q69-qpxx

## What is CVE-2026-23753?

CVE-2026-23753 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in GFI Software HelpDesk, published on 20 Apr 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

GFI HelpDesk before 4.99.9 contains a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability in the language management functionality where the charset POST parameter is passed directly to SWIFT_Language::Create() without HTML sanitization and subsequently rendered unsanitized by View_Language.RenderGrid(). An authenticated administrator can inject arbitrary JavaScript through the charset field when creating or editing a language, and the payload executes in the browser of any administrator viewing the Languages page.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-23753?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Gfi Helpdesk.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-23753?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-23753 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-23753 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-23753 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in GFI Software HelpDesk

- [CVE-2026-23756](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23756/): GFI HelpDesk < 4.99.9 Stored XSS via Troubleshooter Step Subject (medium 5.1)
- [CVE-2026-23757](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23757/): GFI HelpDesk < 4.99.10 Stored XSS via Reports Module (medium 5.1)
- [CVE-2026-23758](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23758/): GFI HelpDesk < 4.99.9 Stored XSS via editsubject Parameter (medium 5.1)
- [CVE-2026-23752](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23752/): GFI HelpDesk < 4.99.9 Stored XSS via companyname Parameter (medium 4.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-23753 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-23753 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in GFI Software HelpDesk, published on 20 Apr 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-23753 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: GFI Software HelpDesk. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23753/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23753/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-23753
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-23753
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-23753

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23753/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.
