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Flatpak CVE-2023-28101

MEDIUM
Improper Encoding or Escaping of Output (CWE-116)
2023-03-16 security-advisories@github.com
4.3
CVSS 3.1 · NVD
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Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A05:2025 - Injection
ASVS 5.0
V1 - Encoding and Sanitization Output encoding for downstream
Impact

CVSS score of 4.3 (MEDIUM). Attack characteristics: network attack vector, low complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction not required.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

This vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network. Successful exploitation could compromise the medium-severity affected system.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9).
Patch available 0.9% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAI

Flatpak is a system for building, distributing, and running sandboxed desktop applications on Linux. Rated medium severity (CVSS 4.3), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity.

RemediationAI

A vendor patch is available. Apply the latest security update as soon as possible. Apply vendor patches when available. Implement network segmentation and monitoring as interim mitigations.

Affects your stack

Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-116. Flatpak is a system for building, distributing, and running sandboxed desktop applications on Linux. In versions prior to 1.10.8, 1.12.8, 1.14.4, and 1.15.4, if an attacker publishes a Flatpak app with elevated permissions, they can hide those permissions from users of the flatpak(1) command-line interface by setting other permissions to crafted values that contain non-printable control characters such as ESC. A fix is available in versions 1.10.8, 1.12.8, 1.14.4, and 1.15.4. As a workaround, use a GUI like GNOME Software rather than the command-line interface, or only install apps whose maintainers you trust. Affected products include: Flatpak. Version information: prior to 1.10.8.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 4.3 MEDIUM
AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

DescriptionNVD

Flatpak is a system for building, distributing, and running sandboxed desktop applications on Linux. In versions prior to 1.10.8, 1.12.8, 1.14.4, and 1.15.4, if an attacker publishes a Flatpak app with elevated permissions, they can hide those permissions from users of the flatpak(1) command-line interface by setting other permissions to crafted values that contain non-printable control characters such as ESC. A fix is available in versions 1.10.8, 1.12.8, 1.14.4, and 1.15.4. As a workaround, use a GUI like GNOME Software rather than the command-line interface, or only install apps whose maintainers you trust.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.9%
Top 45% exploitable
Data Quality
3 sources
Confidence: Low

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity MEDIUM
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.9%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Scheduled
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium

Priority Score

23
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: +1
CVSS: +22
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.

Affected Products (CPE)NVD

cpe:2.3:a:flatpak:flatpak:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:flatpak:flatpak:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:flatpak:flatpak:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:flatpak:flatpak:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
CVE-2026-34078 CRITICAL
9.3 Apr 07

Sandbox escape in Flatpak versions prior to 1.16.4 allows applications to access arbitrary host filesystem paths and ach

CVE-2019-10063 CRITICAL
9.0 Mar 26

Flatpak before 1.0.8, 1.1.x and 1.2.x before 1.2.4, and 1.3.x before 1.3.1 allows a sandbox bypass. Rated critical sever

CVE-2021-21261 HIGH
8.8 Jan 14

Flatpak is a system for building, distributing, and running sandboxed desktop applications on Linux. Rated high severity

CVE-2018-6560 HIGH
8.8 Feb 02

In dbus-proxy/flatpak-proxy.c in Flatpak before 0.8.9, and 0.9.x and 0.10.x before 0.10.3, crafted D-Bus messages to the

CVE-2026-34079 HIGH
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Arbitrary file deletion in Flatpak versions prior to 1.16.4 allows sandboxed applications to delete files on the host sy

CVE-2026-94422 HIGH
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Message-filtering bypass in xdg-dbus-proxy before 0.1.9 lets a malicious or already-compromised sandboxed application -

CVE-2021-21381 HIGH
8.2 Mar 11

Flatpak is a system for building, distributing, and running sandboxed desktop applications on Linux. Rated high severity

CVE-2019-8308 HIGH
8.2 Feb 12

Flatpak before 1.0.7, and 1.1.x and 1.2.x before 1.2.3, exposes /proc in the apply_extra script sandbox, which allows at

CVE-2017-9780 HIGH
7.8 Jun 21

In Flatpak before 0.8.7, a third-party app repository could include malicious apps that contain files with inappropriate

CVE-2021-41133 HIGH
7.8 Oct 08

Flatpak is a system for building, distributing, and running sandboxed desktop applications on Linux. Rated high severity

CVE-2026-96808 HIGH
7.4 Sep 23

Local privilege escalation to root in Flatpak before 1.18.1 lets an unprivileged user holding an active local session ab

CVE-2026-97024 HIGH
7.1 Sep 28

Path traversal in Flatpak's app deployment handling of the exported files/etc directory allows a malicious Flatpak appli

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