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Fencer Vulns
critical 10.0

CVE-2024-42472 json

Flatpak may allow access to files outside sandbox for certain apps

published 2024-08-15 2 y ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also EUVD-2024-39634

cvss
10.0
version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev
Not listed
not in CISA's catalog
epss
1.3%
EPSS 1.3% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 70%
public exploits
0
none known

Summary

Flatpak is a Linux application sandboxing and distribution framework. Prior to versions 1.14.0 and 1.15.10, a malicious or compromised Flatpak app using persistent directories could access and write files outside of what it would otherwise have access to, which is an attack on integrity and confidentiality.

When `persistent=subdir` is used in the application permissions (represented as `--persist=subdir` in the command-line interface), that means that an application which otherwise doesn't have access to the real user home directory will see an empty home directory with a writeable subdirectory `subdir`. Behind the scenes, this directory is actually a bind mount and the data is stored in the per-application directory as `~/.var/app/$APPID/subdir`. This allows existing apps that are not aware of the per-application directory to still work as intended without general home directory access.

However, the application does have write access to the application directory `~/.var/app/$APPID` where this directory is stored. If the source directory for the `persistent`/`--persist` option is replaced by a symlink, then the next time the application is started, the bind mount will follow the symlink and mount whatever it points to into the sandbox.

Partial protection against this vulnerability can be provided by patching Flatpak using the patches in commits ceec2ffc and 98f79773. However, this leaves a race condition that could be exploited by two instances of a malicious app running in parallel. Closing the race condition requires updating or patching the version of bubblewrap that is used by Flatpak to add the new `--bind-fd` option using the patch and then patching Flatpak to use it. If Flatpak has been configured at build-time with `-Dsystem_bubblewrap=bwrap` (1.15.x) or `--with-system-bubblewrap=bwrap` (1.14.x or older), or a similar option, then the version of bubblewrap that needs to be patched is a system copy that is distributed separately, typically `/usr/bin/bwrap`. This configuration is the one that is typically used in Linux distributions. If Flatpak has been configured at build-time with `-Dsystem_bubblewrap=` (1.15.x) or with `--without-system-bubblewrap` (1.14.x or older), then it is the bundled version of bubblewrap that is included with Flatpak that must be patched. This is typically installed as `/usr/libexec/flatpak-bwrap`. This configuration is the default when building from source code.

For the 1.14.x stable branch, these changes are included in Flatpak 1.14.10. The bundled version of bubblewrap included in this release has been updated to 0.6.3. For the 1.15.x development branch, these changes are included in Flatpak 1.15.10. The bundled version of bubblewrap in this release is a Meson "wrap" subproject, which has been updated to 0.10.0. The 1.12.x and 1.10.x branches will not be updated for this vulnerability. Long-term support OS distributions should backport the individual changes into their versions of Flatpak and bubblewrap, or update to newer versions if their stability policy allows it. As a workaround, avoid using applications using the `persistent` (`--persist`) permission.

Patch / fix

  • flatpak flatpak 1.14.10, 1.15.10
  • flatpak Debian 12 1.14.10-1~deb12u1
  • flatpak Debian 14, Debian 13 1.14.10-1

debian advisories DEBIAN-CVE-2024-42472

  • flatpak Ubuntu 20.04 LTS 1.6.5-0ubuntu0.5
  • flatpak Ubuntu 22.04 LTS 1.12.7-1ubuntu0.1
  • flatpak Ubuntu 24.04 LTS 1.14.6-1ubuntu0.1

ubuntu advisories UBUNTU-CVE-2024-42472

Ubuntu security data © Canonical Ltd., from https://github.com/canonical/ubuntu-security-notices via OSV; changed: normalised to fixed package versions per release. CC BY-SA 4.0

  • flatpak RHEL 9 1.12.9-3.el9_5
  • bubblewrap RHEL 9 0.4.1-8.el9_5
  • flatpak-libs RHEL 9 1.12.9-3.el9_5
  • flatpak-selinux RHEL 9 1.12.9-3.el9_5
  • flatpak-session-helper RHEL 9 1.12.9-3.el9_5
  • flatpak RHEL 8 1.12.9-3.el8_10
  • bubblewrap RHEL 8 0.4.0-2.el8_10
  • flatpak-libs RHEL 8 1.12.9-3.el8_10

red hat advisories RHSA-2024:9449RHSA-2024:6421RHSA-2024:6417RHSA-2024:6422RHSA-2024:6420RHSA-2024:6419

  • wayland-protocols SLES for SAP 15 SP5, SLES 15 SP5-LTSS, SLE High Performance Computing 15 SP5-LTSS +1 more 1.36-150500.3.3.1
  • flatpak SLE Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP6, openSUSE Leap 15.6 1.16.0-150600.3.6.1
  • flatpak SLES for SAP 15 SP5, SLES 15 SP5-LTSS, SLE High Performance Computing 15 SP5-LTSS +1 more 1.16.0-150500.3.15.1
  • bubblewrap SLES for SAP 15 SP5, SLES 15 SP5-LTSS, SLE Module for Basesystem 15 SP6 +3 more 0.11.0-150500.3.9.1
  • flatpak SLES for SAP 15 SP3, SLES for SAP 15 SP2, SLES 15 SP3-LTSS +4 more 1.10.8-150200.4.21.1
  • flatpak SLES for SAP 15 SP4, SLES 15 SP4-LTSS, SLE High Performance Computing 15 SP4-LTSS +1 more 1.12.8-150400.3.9.1
  • bubblewrap SLES for SAP 15 SP4, SLES for SAP 15 SP3, SLES for SAP 15 SP2 +10 more 0.4.1-150200.3.3.1
  • flatpak SLE Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP5, openSUSE Leap 15.5 1.14.5-150500.3.12.1

suse advisories SUSE-RU-2025:0145-1SUSE-SU-2024:3174-1SUSE-SU-2024:3104-1SUSE-SU-2024:3073-1

  • flatpak openSUSE Tumbleweed 1.15.10-1.1
  • bubblewrap openSUSE Tumbleweed 0.10.0-1.1

opensuse advisories openSUSE-SU-2024:14275-1openSUSE-SU-2024:14269-1

  • flatpak AlmaLinux 9 1.12.9-3.el9_5
  • bubblewrap AlmaLinux 9 0.4.1-8.el9_5
  • flatpak-libs AlmaLinux 9 1.12.9-3.el9_5
  • flatpak-selinux AlmaLinux 9 1.12.9-3.el9_5
  • flatpak-session-helper AlmaLinux 9 1.12.9-3.el9_5
  • flatpak AlmaLinux 8 1.12.9-3.el8_10
  • bubblewrap AlmaLinux 8 0.4.0-2.el8_10
  • flatpak-libs AlmaLinux 8 1.12.9-3.el8_10

almalinux advisories ALSA-2024:9449ALSA-2024:6422ALSA-2024:6356

  • flatpak Rocky Linux 9 1.12.9-3.el9_5
  • bubblewrap Rocky Linux 9 0.4.1-8.el9_5
  • flatpak Rocky Linux 8 1.12.9-3.el8_10
  • bubblewrap Rocky Linux 8 0.4.0-2.el8_10

rocky linux advisories RLSA-2024:6356RLSA-2024:9449RLSA-2024:6422

  • flatpak Alpine 3.24, Alpine 3.23, Alpine 3.22 +2 more 1.14.10-r0
  • bubblewrap Alpine 3.24, Alpine 3.23, Alpine 3.22 +2 more 0.10.0-r0

alpine advisories ALPINE-CVE-2024-42472

Alpine secdb © Alpine Linux, from https://secdb.alpinelinux.org via OSV; changed: normalised to fixed package versions per release. CC BY-SA 4.0

Vendor advisories

What the vendors themselves say about their products: affected, fixed or not affected, and what to do.

red hat product security vex CVE-2024-42472 updated cvss 7.4

flatpak: Access to files outside sandbox for apps using persistent= (--persist)

  • Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 1.2 bubblewrap
    affected: workaround, no fix planned “Will not fix”
  • Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) flatpak 1.12.9-3.el9_5, flatpak-session-helper 1.12.9-3.el9_5
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:9449
  • Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder EUS (v.8.8) flatpak 1.10.7-4.el8_8, flatpak-session-helper 1.10.7-4.el8_8
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6419
  • Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder EUS (v.9.2) flatpak 1.12.7-5.el9_2, flatpak-session-helper 1.12.7-5.el9_2
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6355
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 8) flatpak 1.12.9-3.el8_10, flatpak-libs 1.12.9-3.el8_10, flatpak-selinux 1.12.9-3.el8_10, flatpak-session-helper 1.12.9-3.el8_10
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6422
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) flatpak 1.12.9-3.el9_4, flatpak 1.12.9-3.el9_5, flatpak-libs 1.12.9-3.el9_4, flatpak-libs 1.12.9-3.el9_5, flatpak-selinux 1.12.9-3.el9_4, flatpak-selinux 1.12.9-3.el9_5, +2 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6356
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream AUS (v. 8.2) flatpak 1.6.2-9.el8_2, flatpak-libs 1.6.2-9.el8_2, flatpak-selinux 1.6.2-9.el8_2, flatpak-session-helper 1.6.2-9.el8_2
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6420
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream AUS (v.8.4) flatpak 1.8.5-7.el8_4, flatpak-libs 1.8.5-7.el8_4, flatpak-selinux 1.8.5-7.el8_4, flatpak-session-helper 1.8.5-7.el8_4
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6418
show 24 more
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream AUS (v.8.6) flatpak 1.8.7-4.el8_6, flatpak-libs 1.8.7-4.el8_6, flatpak-selinux 1.8.7-4.el8_6, flatpak-session-helper 1.8.7-4.el8_6
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6421
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream E4S (v.8.4) flatpak 1.8.5-7.el8_4, flatpak-libs 1.8.5-7.el8_4, flatpak-selinux 1.8.5-7.el8_4, flatpak-session-helper 1.8.5-7.el8_4
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6418
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream E4S (v.8.6) flatpak 1.8.7-4.el8_6, flatpak-libs 1.8.7-4.el8_6, flatpak-selinux 1.8.7-4.el8_6, flatpak-session-helper 1.8.7-4.el8_6
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6421
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream E4S (v.9.0) flatpak 1.12.5-5.el9_0, flatpak-libs 1.12.5-5.el9_0, flatpak-selinux 1.12.5-5.el9_0, flatpak-session-helper 1.12.5-5.el9_0
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6357
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.8.8) flatpak 1.10.7-4.el8_8, flatpak-libs 1.10.7-4.el8_8, flatpak-selinux 1.10.7-4.el8_8, flatpak-session-helper 1.10.7-4.el8_8
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6419
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.9.2) flatpak 1.12.7-5.el9_2, flatpak-libs 1.12.7-5.el9_2, flatpak-selinux 1.12.7-5.el9_2, flatpak-session-helper 1.12.7-5.el9_2
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6355
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream TUS (v.8.4) flatpak 1.8.5-7.el8_4, flatpak-libs 1.8.5-7.el8_4, flatpak-selinux 1.8.5-7.el8_4, flatpak-session-helper 1.8.5-7.el8_4
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6418
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream TUS (v.8.6) flatpak 1.8.7-4.el8_6, flatpak-libs 1.8.7-4.el8_6, flatpak-selinux 1.8.7-4.el8_6, flatpak-session-helper 1.8.7-4.el8_6
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6421
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) bubblewrap 0.4.0-2.el8_10
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6422
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) bubblewrap 0.4.1-7.el9_4, bubblewrap 0.4.1-8.el9_5
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6356
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS AUS (v. 8.2) bubblewrap 0.4.0-2.el8_2
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6420
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS AUS (v.8.4) bubblewrap 0.4.0-2.el8_4
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6418
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS AUS (v.8.6) bubblewrap 0.4.0-2.el8_6
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6421
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS E4S (v.8.4) bubblewrap 0.4.0-2.el8_4
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6418
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS E4S (v.8.6) bubblewrap 0.4.0-2.el8_6
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6421
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS E4S (v.9.0) bubblewrap 0.4.1-7.el9_0
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6357
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.8.8) bubblewrap 0.4.0-2.el8_8
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6419
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.9.2) bubblewrap 0.4.1-7.el9_2
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6355
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS TUS (v.8.4) bubblewrap 0.4.0-2.el8_4
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6418
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS TUS (v.8.6) bubblewrap 0.4.0-2.el8_6
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6421
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux CRB (v. 8) flatpak 1.12.9-3.el8_10, flatpak-session-helper 1.12.9-3.el8_10
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6422
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux CRB (v. 9) flatpak 1.12.9-3.el9_4, flatpak-session-helper 1.12.9-3.el9_4
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6356
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7 ELS) flatpak 1.0.9-15.el7_9, flatpak-libs 1.0.9-15.el7_9 Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7 ELS) flatpak-builder 1.0.0-15.el7_9
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2024:6417
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 flatpak, bubblewrap Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 openshift/ose-rhel-coreos-8, openshift/ose-rhel-coreos-9
    not affected: vulnerable code not present

Red Hat CSAF VEX © Red Hat, Inc., from https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/; changed: reduced to product statuses and remediations. CC BY 4.0 · csaf

CISA SSVC

Exploitation
none
Automatable
yes
Technical impact
total
Assessed
2 y ago

Exploit prediction

1.27% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 70% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

Exploits and checks

  • github.com https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/security/advisories/GHSA-7hgv-f2j8-xw87 referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified
  • openwall.com http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/08/14/6 referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
CNA 3.1 10.0 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N

Affected products

  • flatpak flatpak

Classification

Weakness
  • CWE-74 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component

References

Sources

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.

CPEs and fixed versions use Anchore's correction of NVD's data: Added CPE configurations because not yet analyzed by NVD.