CVE-2026-39977

flatpak-builder has a path traversal leading to arbitrary file read on host when installing licence files

MEDIUM
6.3
CVSS Score
Published: April 9, 2026 at 07:05 PM UTC
Updated: October 26, 2026 at 12:10 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorFlatpak Builder

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Severity
MEDIUM6.3
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.3%
SSVC
PoC

Description

flatpak-builder is a tool to build flatpaks from source. From 1.4.5 to before 1.4.8, the license-files manifest key takes an array of paths to user defined licence files relative to the source directory of the module. The paths from that array are resolved using g_file_resolve_relative_path() and validated to stay inside the source directory using two checks - g_file_get_relative_path() which does not resolve symlinks and g_file_query_file_type() with G_FILE_QUERY_INFO_NOFOLLOW_SYMLINKS which only applies to the final path component. The copy operation runs on host. This can be exploited by using a crafted manifest and/or source to read arbitrary files from the host and capture them into the build output. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.4.8.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

1.4.5 ≤ v < 1.4.8
Affected range stops below 1.4.8, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

References (1)

x_refsource_CONFIRMExploitVendor Advisory
Source: cverecord
https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak-builder/security/advisories/GHSA-6gm9-3g7m-3965

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCPoCNot automatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
NONE
User Interaction
REQUIRED
Scope
CHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
NONE
Availability
NONE
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
CWE-22

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