CVE-2021-43860

NameCVE-2021-43860
DescriptionFlatpak is a Linux application sandboxing and distribution framework. Prior to versions 1.12.3 and 1.10.6, Flatpak doesn't properly validate that the permissions displayed to the user for an app at install time match the actual permissions granted to the app at runtime, in the case that there's a null byte in the metadata file of an app. Therefore apps can grant themselves permissions without the consent of the user. Flatpak shows permissions to the user during install by reading them from the "xa.metadata" key in the commit metadata. This cannot contain a null terminator, because it is an untrusted GVariant. Flatpak compares these permissions to the *actual* metadata, from the "metadata" file to ensure it wasn't lied to. However, the actual metadata contents are loaded in several places where they are read as simple C-style strings. That means that, if the metadata file includes a null terminator, only the content of the file from *before* the terminator gets compared to xa.metadata. Thus, any permissions that appear in the metadata file after a null terminator are applied at runtime but not shown to the user. So maliciously crafted apps can give themselves hidden permissions. Users who have Flatpaks installed from untrusted sources are at risk in case the Flatpak has a maliciously crafted metadata file, either initially or in an update. This issue is patched in versions 1.12.3 and 1.10.6. As a workaround, users can manually check the permissions of installed apps by checking the metadata file or the xa.metadata key on the commit metadata.
SourceCVE (at NVD; CERT, LWN, oss-sec, fulldisc, Red Hat, Ubuntu, Gentoo, SUSE bugzilla/CVE, GitHub advisories/code/issues, web search, more)
ReferencesDSA-5049-1

Vulnerable and fixed packages

The table below lists information on source packages.

Source PackageReleaseVersionStatus
flatpak (PTS)buster, buster (security)1.2.5-0+deb10u4vulnerable
bullseye1.10.8-0+deb11u1fixed
bullseye (security)1.10.7-0+deb11u1fixed
bookworm1.14.4-1fixed
sid, trixie1.14.5-1fixed

The information below is based on the following data on fixed versions.

PackageTypeReleaseFixed VersionUrgencyOriginDebian Bugs
flatpaksourcebullseye1.10.7-0+deb11u1DSA-5049-1
flatpaksource(unstable)1.12.3-1

Notes

[buster] - flatpak <ignored> (Intrusive and risky to backport)
[stretch] - flatpak <ignored> (Intrusive and risky to backport)
https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/security/advisories/GHSA-qpjc-vq3c-572j
https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/commit/ba818f504c926baaf6e362be8159cfacf994310e
https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/commit/d9a8f9d8ccc0b7c1135d0ecde006a75d25f66aee
https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/commit/93357d357119093804df05acc32ff335839c6451
https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/commit/65cbfac982cb1c83993a9e19aa424daee8e9f042

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