CVE-2026-96808

flatpak: Flatpak: Local privilege escalation via symlink traversal in revokefs writer

Published Sep 23, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 7.4 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In Flatpak before 1.18.1, the revokefs writer, used by the flatpak-system-helper to receive repository data from unprivileged callers, validated file paths by rejecting literal .. components but did not prevent symlink traversal. A malicious local user in an active local session could obtain two revokefs sessions via the system helper, create a symlink in one session pointing into the other session's directory, and retain a file descriptor through that symlink. This allowed the attacker to modify files belonging to a different revokefs session after they had been validated and imported by the system helper. In particular, an attacker could use this to tamper with ostree commit objects in the system repository after they passed signature verification, enabling root-controlled file writes to attacker-chosen paths and local root privilege escalation.

Remediation

Vendor Solution

Fixed in 1.18.1 by commits: * a3583bc https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/commit/a3583bc87d4f86c2794ff879ea56fce95b0b0b5f "revokefs: Avoid symlink path traversal out of basefd in simple cases" * b00c7b5 https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/commit/b00c7b5073a25bdc34653642de543b5ef6fe0225 "revokefs: Avoid symlink path traversal in link(), rename()" * 4ddb5dc https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/commit/4ddb5dc0de1bd25e52627f520a49063d94f79377 "revokefs: Avoid symlink path traversal in symlink()" * e7f96b4 https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/commit/e7f96b4d1533f735ace2ea21dbf770e8d4be465a "revokefs: Avoid symlink path traversal in chmod()" For LTS operating system distributions, backports of these changes are available in the flatpak-1.16.x branch.

Tracking

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Advisories

No advisories available
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Title Symlink Traversal in Flatpak Revokefs Enables Local Root Privilege Escalation flatpak: Flatpak: Local privilege escalation via symlink traversal in revokefs writer
Weaknesses CWE-59
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

threat_severity

Important

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Title Symlink Traversal in Flatpak Revokefs Enables Local Root Privilege Escalation
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In Flatpak before 1.18.1, the revokefs writer, used by the flatpak-system-helper to receive repository data from unprivileged callers, validated file paths by rejecting literal .. components but did not prevent symlink traversal. A malicious local user in an active local session could obtain two revokefs sessions via the system helper, create a symlink in one session pointing into the other session's directory, and retain a file descriptor through that symlink. This allowed the attacker to modify files belonging to a different revokefs session after they had been validated and imported by the system helper. In particular, an attacker could use this to tamper with ostree commit objects in the system repository after they passed signature verification, enabling root-controlled file writes to attacker-chosen paths and local root privilege escalation.
First Time appeared Flatpak
Flatpak flatpak
Weaknesses CWE-61
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:flatpak:flatpak:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Flatpak
Flatpak flatpak
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.4, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
mitre
Published
Updated
Sep 23, 2026, 6:22 PM
Reserved
Sep 23, 2026, 4:58 PM
Status
Awaiting Analysis
Published
Sep 23, 2026, 5:17 PM
Modified
Sep 24, 2026, 9:00 PM
Severity
Important
Public date
Sep 23, 2026, 4:58 PM