Electerm users can run dangrous code through link or command line

CVE-2026-43944 → View on GitHub ↗ View on CVE.org ↗ View on NVD ↗

Description

Impact

Arbitrary local code execution via deep links, CLI --opts, or crafted shortcuts. Affected users: electerm installs that accept protocol URLs or CLI options (affected versions listed in the original report). Exploit requires clicking a crafted electerm://... link or opening a crafted shortcut/command that launches electerm with attacker-controlled opts.

Patches

Fixed in version > 3.8.8

commits:

  • https://github.com/electerm/electerm/commit/8a6a17951e96d715f5a231532bbd8303fe208700
  • https://github.com/electerm/electerm/commit/a79e06f4a1f0ac6376c3d2411ef4690fa0377742
  • https://github.com/electerm/electerm/commit/0599e67069b00e376a2e962649aaad6096e63507

Workarounds

  • Disable or unregister electerm protocol handlers (Deep Link settings) and avoid clicking electerm:// links.
  • Do not run electerm with untrusted --opts arguments or open .lnk / .desktop files from untrusted sources.
  • Restrict which users can launch electerm on shared machines and avoid leaving electerm installed in locations reachable by other users.
  • As a temporary measure, run electerm in a confined account or sandbox (non-admin user) to reduce impact.

References

  • Report / credit: https://github.com/Curly-Haired-Baboon
  • Electerm releases: https://github.com/electerm/electerm/releases

Basic information

Type
reviewed
Severity
critical
Advisory on GitHub
Open advisory ↗
Repository advisory
Open repository advisory ↗
Source code
Browse source ↗
Published (advisory)
2026-05-08 18:46:04 UTC
Updated
2026-05-13 13:32:30 UTC
GitHub reviewed
2026-05-08 18:46:04 UTC
NVD published
2026-05-08

EPSS Score

Score Percentile
0.15% 34.72%

CVSS Scores

Base score Version Severity Vector
9.6 3.1 —
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:R)
A real person has to do something—click, install, enable—otherwise it doesn’t land.
Scope (S:C)
Breaking this can reach past the original component and bite other resources—bigger blast radius.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
9.4 4.0 —
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Exploitation conditions are straightforward and stable.
Attack requirements (AT:N)
No additional preconditions are required beyond normal reachability.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No privileges are required.
User interaction (UI:P)
A user has to participate (for example click/open/approve).
Vulnerable system confidentiality impact (VC:H)
High confidentiality impact on the vulnerable system.
Vulnerable system integrity impact (VI:H)
High integrity impact on the vulnerable system.
Vulnerable system availability impact (VA:H)
High availability impact on the vulnerable system.
Subsequent system confidentiality impact (SC:H)
High confidentiality impact on subsequent systems.
Subsequent system integrity impact (SI:H)
High integrity impact on subsequent systems.
Subsequent system availability impact (SA:H)
High availability impact on subsequent systems.

Identifiers

Type Value
GHSA GHSA-mpm8-cx2p-626q ↗
CVE CVE-2026-43944 ↗

CWEs

CWE id Name
CWE-20 Improper Input Validation
CWE-94 Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
CWE-829 Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere

Credits

  • Curly-Haired-Baboon (finder)

Affected packages (1)

Vulnerable version ranges and first patched releases as published by GitHub.

Ecosystem Package Vulnerable range First patched Vulnerable functions
npm electerm >= 3.0.6, < 3.8.8 3.8.8 —

References

cvelogic Threat Intelligence