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TI-2026-34713 Aliases CVE-2026-47121GHSA-hg88-v3cw-3qrh

Sparkle: Binary delta apply intermediate-symlink traversal in malicious .delta

Priority MEDIUM 60CWE-22Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
Required
Attack complexity
High
Impact type
—
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
None · High · None
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub.

Summary

Sparkle is a software update framework for macOS. Prior to version 2.9.2, `Autoupdate/SUBinaryDeltaApply.m` enforces `relativePath.pathComponents containsObject:@".."` and rejects writes whose immediate parent directory IS itself a symbolic link, but does not detect symlinks deeper in the relative path. `Autoupdate/SPUSparkleDeltaArchive.m`'s `extractItem:` will create symlinks in the destination tree from archive content (no `..` check on the symlink target), and a subsequent `Extract` item targeting `<symlink>/foo/bar` then escapes the destination tree via `fopen(path, "wb")` because the kernel resolves the intermediate symlink during the open call. This is a defense-in-depth issue: exploitation requires a maliciously-crafted `.delta` that passes EdDSA signature verification, i.e. EdDSA private-key compromise. With the AppInstaller running as root for system-domain installs, it gives the holder of a stolen signing key arbitrary file write at root level via the delta-apply path, which is a strictly broader primitive than the "drop-in replacement bundle" install they would otherwise have. Version 2.9.2 contains a patch for the issue.

Why it matters now

Exploitation Proof of concept CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00339 27th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed Sparkle (sparkle-project): 2.9.2github.com/sparkle-project/Sparkle (SwiftURL): 2.9.2

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
Poc
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
sparkle-projectSparklebefore 2.9.22.9.2Patch availableCNA
—github.com/sparkle-project/Sparkle (SwiftURL)before 2.9.22.9.2Patch availableGHSA-hg88-v3cw-3qrh
  • Sparkle Vendorsparkle-project Affected before 2.9.2 Fixed in 2.9.2 Patch available CNA
  • github.com/sparkle-project/Sparkle (SwiftURL) Vendor— Affected before 2.9.2 Fixed in 2.9.2 Patch available GHSA-hg88-v3cw-3qrh

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:sparkle-project:sparkle:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*before 2.9.2Vulnerablesparkle-project
  • cpe:2.3:a:sparkle-project:sparkle:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 2.9.2 Vulnerable ·sparkle-project

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA Sparkle (sparkle-project) Fixed in 2.9.2
  • Fix · GHSA-hg88-v3cw-3qrh github.com/sparkle-project/Sparkle (SwiftURL) Fixed in 2.9.2 Advisory →

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-47121
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-hg88-v3cw-3qrh

References

  • TI-2025-00423 Signing Checks Bypass CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.3
  • TI-2026-34714 Missing authentication in sparkle-project Sparkle CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.2

Sources