Description
Flatpak is a system for building, distributing, and running sandboxed desktop applications on Linux. In Flatpack since version 0.9.4 and before version 1.10.2 has a vulnerability in the "file forwarding" feature which can be used by an attacker to gain access to files that would not ordinarily be allowed by the app's permissions. By putting the special tokens `@@` and/or `@@u` in the Exec field of a Flatpak app's .desktop file, a malicious app publisher can trick flatpak into behaving as though the user had chosen to open a target file with their Flatpak app, which automatically makes that file available to the Flatpak app. This is fixed in version 1.10.2. A minimal solution is the first commit "`Disallow @@ and @@U usage in desktop files`". The follow-up commits "`dir: Reserve the whole @@ prefix`" and "`dir: Refuse to export .desktop files with suspicious uses of @@ tokens`" are recommended, but not strictly required. As a workaround, avoid installing Flatpak apps from untrusted sources, or check the contents of the exported `.desktop` files in `exports/share/applications/*.desktop` (typically `~/.local/share/flatpak/exports/share/applications/*.desktop` and `/var/lib/flatpak/exports/share/applications/*.desktop`) to make sure that literal filenames do not follow `@@` or `@@u`.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| flatpak | flatpak | >= 0.9.4, < 1.10.2 | — |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | flatpak | 1.10.1-4 | — |
| Debian 13 | flatpak | 1.10.1-4 | — |
| Debian 12 | flatpak | 1.10.1-4 | — |
| Debian 10 | flatpak | 1.2.5-0+deb10u4 | DSA-4868-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | flatpak | 1.6.5-0ubuntu0.3 | USN-4951-1 |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | flatpak | 1.0.9-0ubuntu0.3 | USN-4951-1 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 8 | flatpak +3 | 1.6.2-6.el8_3 | RHSA-2021:1068 |
| RHEL 7 | flatpak +2 | 1.0.9-11.el7_9 | RHSA-2021:1002 |
| RHEL 7 | flatpak-builder | 1.0.0-11.el7_9 | RHSA-2021:1002 |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 8.2 EUS | flatpak +3 | 1.6.2-5.el8_2 | RHSA-2021:1073 |
| RHEL 8.1 EUS | flatpak +1 | 1.0.9-4.el8_1 | RHSA-2021:1074 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP1 | flatpak | 1.2.3-150100.4.5.2 | SUSE-SU-2022:2990-1 |
Show 3 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 15 SP1 | flatpak | 1.2.3-150100.4.5.2 | SUSE-SU-2022:2990-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP1 | flatpak | 1.2.3-150100.4.5.2 | SUSE-SU-2022:2990-1 |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 6 | flatpak | 1.2.3-150100.4.5.2 | SUSE-SU-2022:2990-1 |
Amazon Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Linux 2 | flatpak +2 | 1.0.9-10.amzn2.0.1 | ALAS2-2021-1625 |
| Amazon Linux 2 | flatpak-builder | 1.0.0-10.amzn2.0.1 | ALAS2-2021-1625 |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 8 | flatpak +3 | 1.6.2-6.el8_3 | ELSA-2021-1068 |
| Oracle Linux 7 | flatpak +2 | 1.0.9-11.el7_9 | ELSA-2021-1002 |
| Oracle Linux 7 | flatpak-builder | 1.0.0-11.el7_9 | ELSA-2021-1002 |
Advisories 10
- RHSA-2021:1002 Red Hat Security Advisory: flatpak security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- USN-4951-1 flatpak vulnerability Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Apr 22, 2026
- DSA-4868-1 flatpak - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2022:2990-1 Security update for flatpak SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- RHSA-2021:1073 Red Hat Security Advisory: flatpak security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Nov 22, 2025
- RHSA-2021:1074 Red Hat Security Advisory: flatpak security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Nov 22, 2025
- RHSA-2021:1068 Red Hat Security Advisory: flatpak security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Nov 22, 2025
- ELSA-2021-1068 Important: flatpak security update (Oracle Linux 8) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Apr 7, 2021
- ALAS2-2021-1625 Important: flatpak security update (Amazon Linux 2) Amazon Linux Security Center (ALAS) · Apr 6, 2021
- ELSA-2021-1002 Important: flatpak security update (Oracle Linux 7) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Mar 29, 2021
References
- https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/security/advisories/GHSA-xgh4-387p-hqpp
- https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/pull/4156
- https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/commit/8279c5818425b6812523e3805bbe242fb6a5d961
- https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/commit/a7401e638bf0c03102039e216ab1081922f140ae
- https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/commit/eb7946bb6248923d8c90fe9b84425fef97ae580d
- https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/releases/tag/1.10.2
- DSA-4868 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2021-26ad138ffa vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2021-fe7decc595 vendor-advisory
- GLSA-202312-12 vendor-advisory