---
id: "CVE-2026-55493"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-55493"]
title: "HotCRP: comment search reveals identity of anonymous commenters"
severity: "medium"
cvss: 6.5
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "other"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["conference-review", "hotcrp", "other", "self-hosted"]
not_affected_if: ["no-authenticated-users", "pre-2.101"]
published_at: "2026-10-30T20:17:09+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-30T20:25:38+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-30T20:26:47+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-55493", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-30T20:25:38+00:00"}]
---

# HotCRP: comment search reveals identity of anonymous commenters

HotCRP, a conference review application, has a search flaw in its cmt: term starting at version 2.101. A signed-in user with search access can infer who wrote an anonymous review comment, breaking reviewer anonymity.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

- Check the HotCRP version in the installed codebase or deployment, for example with `git describe --tags` in the HotCRP directory.
- Confirm whether the installation is at 2.101 or later.

## Fix

- HotCRP `3.3` per the advisory prose and repository tag; the advisory's patched-version metadata lists `3.3.1`, so the sources conflict. Confirm against the upstream release notes before relying on either.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-30T20:25:38+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-55493

## From the sources

HotCRP is conference review software. Starting with 2.101, the `cmt:` search term checks whether a comment is visible to the searching user but fails to check whether the commenter's identity should be visible. A `cmt:USER` search can therefore match a paper with a visible comment authored by USER even when the comment is supposed to be anonymous. An authenticated user with access to the search can infer the author of an anonymous comment, compromising reviewer anonymity. Comments that the user cannot see remain excluded from search results. The advisory prose identifies 3.3 as fixed, its affected-version metadata excludes 3.3, and the verified repository tag 3.3 already contains the identity-check fix; however, its patched-version metadata instead lists 3.3.1. This fixed-version source conflict remains unresolved.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_