CVE-2026-97024
Received Received - Intake

Path Traversal in Flatpak During App Deployment

Publication date: 2026-09-29

Last updated on: 2026-09-29

Assigner: redhat-SADP

Description
A path traversal vulnerability in Flatpak's handling of the files/etc directory during app deployment allows a malicious Flatpak app to cause certain host system files (such as passwd, group, machine-id, or resolv.conf) to be emptied or replaced with a symlink when the app is installed or upgraded. In system-wide installations, the write is performed as root.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-09-29
Last Modified
2026-09-29
Generated
2026-09-29
AI Q&A
2026-09-29
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-97024
EUVD
EUVD-2026-88624

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
flatpak flatpak to 1.18.4 (exc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-61 The product, when opening a file or directory, does not sufficiently account for when the file is a symbolic link that resolves to a target outside of the intended control sphere. This could allow an attacker to cause the product to operate on unauthorized files.

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Executive Summary

CVE-2026-97024 is a path traversal vulnerability in Flatpak that allows a malicious app to overwrite or empty critical system files like /etc/passwd, /etc/group, /etc/machine-id, or /etc/resolv.conf during installation or upgrade. This occurs in system-wide installations where operations run with root privileges.

Detection Guidance

To detect this vulnerability, check your Flatpak version with the command: flatpak --version. If it is below 1.18.4, the system is vulnerable. Additionally, monitor for unexpected changes in critical system files like /etc/passwd, /etc/group, /etc/machine-id, or /etc/resolv.conf.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can lead to data loss, denial of service, or system access issues. Attackers can empty critical files like passwd or group, disrupt network resolution by replacing resolv.conf, or cause system instability. The impact is higher in system-wide installations due to root privileges.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability primarily impacts system integrity and availability by allowing malicious apps to empty or manipulate critical system files like /etc/passwd, /etc/group, or /etc/machine-id. For GDPR, it could lead to unauthorized data access or loss if user data is compromised. For HIPAA, it may cause system disruptions affecting protected health information availability. Compliance risks arise from potential breaches of confidentiality, integrity, and availability requirements.

Mitigation Strategies

Immediately update Flatpak to version 1.18.4 or later using your package manager. Avoid installing Flatpak apps from untrusted sources, especially system-wide. If updating is not possible, avoid system-wide installations of Flatpak apps until patched.

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