CVE-2026-70603: Electron Shell.openPath Path Validation Bypass Vulnerability

{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-5c9j-mhmv-5xgx",
  "modified" : "2026-08-05T15:57:03Z",
  "published" : "2026-08-05T15:57:03Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-70603" ],
  "summary" : "Electron: shell.openPath path validation bypass via embedded null byte",
  "details" : "### Impact\n`shell.openPath()` did not reject paths containing embedded null bytes. Apps that perform string-only validation of file paths (for example, checking the file extension) before passing them to `shell.openPath()` could be bypassed, allowing an attacker-controlled path to open a different file than the one that passed validation.\n\nApps are only affected if they pass paths derived from untrusted input to `shell.openPath()` and rely on string-based validation without a filesystem check. Node's `fs` APIs already reject paths containing null bytes, so apps that call `fs.existsSync()`, `fs.stat()`, or similar before `shell.openPath()` are not affected. Apps that do not call `shell.openPath()` with untrusted input are not affected.\n\n### Workarounds\nReject any path containing a null byte before passing it to `shell.openPath()`:\n```js\nif (filePath.includes('\\0')) throw new Error('invalid path');\n```\n\n### Fixed Versions\n* `42.0.0-beta.1`\n* `41.1.1`\n* `40.9.0`\n* `39.8.6`\n\n### For more information\nIf you have any questions or comments about this advisory, email us at [security@electronjs.org](mailto:security@electronjs.org)",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "electron"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "42.0.0-alpha.1"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "42.0.0-beta.1"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "electron"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "41.0.0-alpha.1"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "41.1.1"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "electron"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "40.0.0-alpha.1"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "40.9.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "electron"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "39.8.6"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/electron/electron/security/advisories/GHSA-5c9j-mhmv-5xgx"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/electron/electron"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-158", "CWE-20" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-08-05T15:57:03Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}