# CVE-2026-23836: HotCRP vulnerable to remote code execution through formulas

> Attackers can execute arbitrary PHP code via unsanitized HotCRP formulas, requiring an upgrade to the patched version.

- **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 19 Jan 2026
- **Updated:** 20 Jan 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hpqh-j6qx-x57h

## What is CVE-2026-23836?

CVE-2026-23836 is a critical code injection vulnerability in kohler hotcrp, published on 19 Jan 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

HotCRP is conference review software. A problem introduced in April 2024 in version 3.1 led to inadequately sanitized code generation for HotCRP formulas which allowed users to trigger the execution of arbitrary PHP code. The problem is patched in release version 3.2.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-23836?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Hotcrp Hotcrp.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-23836?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-23836 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-23836 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-23836 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in kohler hotcrp

- [CVE-2026-25156](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-25156/): HotCRP vulnerable to stored XSS via comment attachments (high 7.3)
- [CVE-2026-23878](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23878/): HotCRP vulnerable to exposure of submitted documents (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2022-4819](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-4819/): HotCRP cross site scripting (low 2.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-23836 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-23836 is a critical code injection vulnerability in kohler hotcrp, published on 19 Jan 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-23836 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: kohler hotcrp. 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-2026-23836/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23836/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-23836
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-23836
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-23836

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23836/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.