Description
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 — only enable ZIP format support).
Upstream: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/epiphany/-/work_items/2988
Reporter acknowledgment: Fernando Munoz
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| GNOME | Epiphany | 47.0 | — |
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 | epiphany-browser | 51.2-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | epiphany-browser | No fix yet | — |
| Debian 12 | epiphany-browser | No fix yet | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.10 | epiphany-browser | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | epiphany-browser | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | epiphany-browser | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | epiphany-browser | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | epiphany-browser | No fix yet | — |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | epiphany-browser | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | epiphany-browser | No fix yet | — |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | epiphany | 51.2-1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:12379-1 |
Advisories 1
- openSUSE-SU-2026:12379-1 epiphany-51.2-1.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Nov 2, 2026