Staging Environment: Content and features may be unstable or change without notice.
Advisory details: github_osv / GHSA-f77v-9vpc-6pjm
Advisory ID github_osv/GHSA-f77v-9vpc-6pjm
Aliases CVE-2026-43940
Summary Electerm runWidget has a path traversal that leads to arbitrary code execution ### Impact The `runWidget` function in `src/app/widgets/load-widget.js` constructs a file path by directly concatenating user‑supplied widget identifiers without any sanitisation: ```javascript const file = `widget-${widgetId}.js` const widget = require(path.join(__dirname, file)) ``` Because `runWidget` is exposed to the renderer process via an asynchronous IPC handler with no input validation, an attacker who achieves JavaScript execution inside the renderer (for example, through a malicious plugin or a cross‑site scripting flaw in the built‑in webview) can abuse a **path traversal** (`../`) to load and execute an arbitrary JavaScript file anywhere on the victim’s filesystem. This gives the attacker local code execution with the full privileges of the electerm process, leading to complete system compromise. ### Patches Fixed in version >= 3.7.16 ### Workarounds Until a patch is released: - Do not install or run untrusted plugins. - Avoid loading arbitrary web content inside electerm’s embedded webview (for example, disable any features that fetch and display remote HTML). - Run electerm in a sandboxed environment (e.g., with `bubblewrap` on Linux, AppArmor/SELinux profiles, or Windows sandboxed app execution) to limit the impact of any code execution. ### Resources - [electerm GitHub Repository](https://github.com/electerm/electerm) - [electerm Security Policy](https://github.com/electerm/electerm/security) - Vulnerability details originally reported by external researcher (PoC confirmed on v3.7.9, Win10).
Status Published
Exploitability 0.5
Weighted Severity 8.8
Risk 4.4
Affected and Fixed Packages Package Details
Introduced and Fixed Package Commit Patches Package Commit Patches Details
Weaknesses (2)
CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CWE-829 Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere
System Score Found at
cvssv3.1 9.8 https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2026/05/GHSA-f77v-9vpc-6pjm/GHSA-f77v-9vpc-6pjm.json
generic_textual CRITICAL
Reference id Reference type URL
https://github.com/electerm/electerm
CVE-2026-43940 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-43940
GHSA-f77v-9vpc-6pjm Other https://github.com/electerm/electerm/security/advisories/GHSA-f77v-9vpc-6pjm
v3.7.16 Other https://github.com/electerm/electerm/releases/tag/v3.7.16
No exploits are available.

No EPSS data available for this advisory.

Patch URL
There are no known patches.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Found at https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2026/05/GHSA-f77v-9vpc-6pjm/GHSA-f77v-9vpc-6pjm.json
Attack Vector (AV) Attack Complexity (AC) Privileges Required (PR) User Interaction (UI) Scope (S) Confidentiality Impact (C) Integrity Impact (I) Availability Impact (A)

network

adjacent_network

local

physical

low

high

none

low

high

none

required

unchanged

changed

high

low

none

high

low

none

high

low

none

Vector: SSVCv2/E:N/A:N/T:T/P:M/B:A/M:M/D:T/2026-05-08T12:52:37Z/

Decision: Track

Source URL: https://github.com/cisagov/vulnrichment/blob/develop/2026/43xxx/CVE-2026-43940.json

Source Advisory: vulnrichment/CVE-2026-43940

View SSVC decision tree 
[{'Exploitation': 'none'},
 {'Automatable': 'no'},
 {'Technical Impact': 'total'},
 {'Mission Prevalence': 'minimal'},
 {'Public Well-being Impact': 'material'},
 {'Mission & Well-being': 'medium'}]