CVE-2026-46529
PDF /GoToR action argv injection enables single-click RCE via --gtk-module dlopen
- Published
- Updated
- Reserved
- Assigned by
- GitHub_M
Description
Atril Document Viewer is the default document reader of the MATE desktop environment for Linux. A single-click remote code execution vulnerability in versions prior to 1.26.3 and 1.28.4 allows an attacker to achieve arbitrary code execution as the user by tricking them into clicking a link inside a malicious PDF document. The PDF can be packaged as a polyglot file that is simultaneously a valid PDF and a valid ELF shared library, making the attack a single-file, single-click, configuration-independent RCE on stock atril installations. The root cause is `shell/ev-application.c:ev_spawn`, which builds a command line from attacker-controlled PDF link-destination fields without applying `g_shell_quote`. The cmdline is then handed to `g_app_info_create_from_commandline`, which shell-parses it back into argv — splitting any embedded `--gtk-module=PATH` into a separate argv element. GTK then `dlopen()`s the path during init, running any `__attribute__((constructor))` it finds. Versions 1.26.3 and 1.28.4 contain a patch for the issue. This is the same defect class as CVE-2023-51698 (CBT `--checkpoint-action` injection in `comics-document.c`, fixed in 1.6.2) but in a different code path (`shell/ev-application.c`) that the original patch did not touch.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub_MCNA (assigner) | 4.0 | High8.4 | CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N |
| redhat-SADPADP (enrichment) | 3.1 | High7.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| NVDNVD · Deferred | 4.0 | High8.4 | CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 0.53% · top 55% of all CVEs (6 Nov 2026)
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation: poc · Automatable: no · Technical impact: total
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: High 8.4.
Weakness
- CWE-77: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection') (opens in a new tab)All about CWE-77 and its CVEs
- CWE-88: Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command ('Argument Injection') (opens in a new tab)All about CWE-88 and its CVEs
- CWE-829: Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere (opens in a new tab)All about CWE-829 and its CVEs
Affected products
- affected < 1.26.3
- affected >= 1.27.0, < 1.28.4
References (21)
- https://github.com/mate-desktop/atril/security/advisories/GHSA-vgv2-m826-8f6f (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMexploit
- https://github.com/mate-desktop/atril/releases/tag/v1.26.3 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISC
- https://github.com/mate-desktop/atril/releases/tag/v1.28.4 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISC
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/05/19/34 (opens in a new tab)
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/05/21/7 (opens in a new tab)
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/05/22/11 (opens in a new tab)
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2026/05/msg00041.html (opens in a new tab)
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2026/05/msg00042.html (opens in a new tab)
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2026/06/msg00021.html (opens in a new tab)
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-46529 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_REDHAT
- RHBZ#2487669 (opens in a new tab)issue-trackingx_refsource_REDHAT
- https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-46529.json (opens in a new tab)x_sadp-csaf-vex
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:41904 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:28998 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:43398 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:46467 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:42692 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:39115 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:33416 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:33169 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:27819 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://trackcve.app/cve/CVE-2026-46529)Record last updated .