CVE-2026-118599 - A file overwrite vulnerability exists in Epiphany when installing WebExtension packages from .xpi files. In src/webexte
A file overwrite vulnerability exists in Epiphany when installing WebExtension packages from .xpi files.
In src/webextension/ephy-web-extension-manager.c, decompress_xpi_thread() used libarchive with archive_read_support_format_all() (and filters), so the installer did not require a real ZIP. A TAR file named *.xpi was extracted. TAR supports hard-link entry types; with Epiphany's archive_write_disk options (including ARCHIVE_EXTRACT_PERM), a crafted hard-link target can cause an attacker-chosen existing user-writable file to be truncated and overwritten with attacker-controlled content and mode bits, without a dedicated warning dialog, when the user installs or opens the crafted .xpi.
This is related to but separate from the ZIP-slip path traversal fixed as CVE-2026-77679 (#2922 / MR !2143).
Requirements: the victim must install or open a malicious WebExtension (.xpi).
Affected: Epiphany >= 47.0 (WebExtension XPI install path).
Fixed: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/epiphany/-/merge_requests/2248 (commit 0cc9ab55 โ only enable ZIP format support).
Upstream: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/epiphany/-/work_items/2988
Reporter acknowledgment: Fernando Munoz
MEDIUM
Severity & confidence
Source severitymedium
Platform severitymedium
Confidencehigh
Exploitationunknown
CVSS5.5
Affected
Reporting sources (1)
NIST NVD - National Vulnerability Database
Timeline & provenance
Published2026-10-31T10:16:38
Last updated2026-11-03T09:59:22
Ingested2026-11-02T12:32:35
FreshnessNEAR-REAL-TIME
Threat typevulnerability
Recommended action
No recommended action published with this item - review the original source.
Next steps
- Identify affected systems in your environment.
- Apply the vendor patch or mitigation guidance.
- Review logs for indicators described in the advisory.
- Follow the affected vendor/product to track updates.
Confidence explanation
Reported by a government or cert-grade source (CISA, NCSC, NVD, ENISA, MSRC).
Source type: standards ยท Original: NIST NVD - National Vulnerability Database