CVE-2026-46529

PDF /GoToR action argv injection enables single-click RCE via --gtk-module dlopen

Published Jun 10, 2026 CVSS 4.0 · 8.4 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
Atril Document Viewer is the default document reader of the MATE desktop environment for Linux. A single-click remote code execution vulnerability in versions prior to 1.26.3 and 1.28.4 allows an attacker to achieve arbitrary code execution as the user by tricking them into clicking a link inside a malicious PDF document. The PDF can be packaged as a polyglot file that is simultaneously a valid PDF and a valid ELF shared library, making the attack a single-file, single-click, configuration-independent RCE on stock atril installations. The root cause is `shell/ev-application.c:ev_spawn`, which builds a command line from attacker-controlled PDF link-destination fields without applying `g_shell_quote`. The cmdline is then handed to `g_app_info_create_from_commandline`, which shell-parses it back into argv — splitting any embedded `--gtk-module=PATH` into a separate argv element. GTK then `dlopen()`s the path during init, running any `__attribute__((constructor))` it finds. Versions 1.26.3 and 1.28.4 contain a patch for the issue. This is the same defect class as CVE-2023-51698 (CBT `--checkpoint-action` injection in `comics-document.c`, fixed in 1.6.2) but in a different code path (`shell/ev-application.c`) that the original patch did not touch.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4596-1 evince security update
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4597-1 atril security update
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4632-1 atril security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6286-1 evince security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6349-1 atril security update
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8295-1 Evince vulnerability
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8321-1 Papers vulnerability
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8839-1 Atril vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

threat_severity

Important

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Mate-desktop
Mate-desktop atril
Vendors & Products Mate-desktop
Mate-desktop atril
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Atril Document Viewer is the default document reader of the MATE desktop environment for Linux. A single-click remote code execution vulnerability in versions prior to 1.26.3 and 1.28.4 allows an attacker to achieve arbitrary code execution as the user by tricking them into clicking a link inside a malicious PDF document. The PDF can be packaged as a polyglot file that is simultaneously a valid PDF and a valid ELF shared library, making the attack a single-file, single-click, configuration-independent RCE on stock atril installations. The root cause is `shell/ev-application.c:ev_spawn`, which builds a command line from attacker-controlled PDF link-destination fields without applying `g_shell_quote`. The cmdline is then handed to `g_app_info_create_from_commandline`, which shell-parses it back into argv — splitting any embedded `--gtk-module=PATH` into a separate argv element. GTK then `dlopen()`s the path during init, running any `__attribute__((constructor))` it finds. Versions 1.26.3 and 1.28.4 contain a patch for the issue. This is the same defect class as CVE-2023-51698 (CBT `--checkpoint-action` injection in `comics-document.c`, fixed in 1.6.2) but in a different code path (`shell/ev-application.c`) that the original patch did not touch.
Title PDF /GoToR action argv injection enables single-click RCE via --gtk-module dlopen
Weaknesses CWE-77
CWE-829
CWE-88
References
Metrics cvssV4_0

{'score': 8.4, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
GitHub_M
Published
Updated
Jul 28, 2026, 12:04 PM
Reserved
May 14, 2026, 7:12 PM
Status
Deferred
Published
Jun 10, 2026, 8:17 PM
Modified
Oct 26, 2026, 11:10 AM
Severity
Important
Public date
Jun 10, 2026, 7:46 PM