Path traversal in XDG Desktop Portal allows arbitrary file access
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · High · None
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 4 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
XDG Desktop Portal before 1.22.1 is affected. The FileChooser.SaveFiles method does not validate the optional filenames it appends to the selected directory, so path traversal (CWE-22) is possible. A malicious sandboxed application can use this without user interaction to gain access to non-existing files on the host that the user can access.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30
Description from the CNA
XDG Desktop Portal is a desktop integration portal. Prior to version 1.22.1, malicious sandboxed applications can use the FileChooser.SaveFiles method to gain arbitrary file access to non-existing files on the host (limited to files the user has access to). The FileChooser.SaveFiles method takes optional filenames which get appended to the selected directory by backends. The backends are supposed to check that the file does not exist yet. The filenames are not validated by the frontend and also not by common backends. This issue has been patched in version 1.22.1.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
Update xdg-desktop-portal to version 1.22.1 or later. Red Hat lists no available fix for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, 7, 8 and 9.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30
- Fix · CNA xdg-desktop-portal (flatpak) Fixed in 1.22.1
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet |
Timeline
- 2026-10-23 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-55888
- 2026-10-24 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
- 2026-10-24 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-24 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-30 Priority changed: LOW → MEDIUM
References
More flatpak vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-28833 flatpak-builder has a path traversal leading to arbitrary file read on host when installing licence files CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.1
- TI-2026-26401 Flatpak has a complete sandbox escape leading to host file access and code execution in the host context CVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.3
- TI-2024-28440 Flatpak may allow access to files outside sandbox for certain apps CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2023-12679 TIOCLINUX can send commands outside sandbox if running on a virtual console CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2026-26402 Flatpak affected by arbitrary file deletion on the host filesystem CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
- TI-2019-07389 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… CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.0
Sources
- CVE-2026-55888 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-55888 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- CVE-2026-55888 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences