1. Ubuntu Security Notices
  2. USN-4721-1

USN-4721-1: Flatpak vulnerability

Publication date

4 February 2021

Overview

Flatpak could be made to crash or run programs if it received specially crafted input.

Releases

Packages

  • flatpak - Application deployment framework for desktop apps

Details

Simon McVittie discovered that flatpak-portal service allowed sandboxed
applications to execute arbitrary code on the host system (a sandbox
escape). A malicious user could create a Flatpak application that set
environment variables, trusted by the Flatpak “run” command, and use it
to execute arbitrary code outside the sandbox.

Simon McVittie discovered that flatpak-portal service allowed sandboxed
applications to execute arbitrary code on the host system (a sandbox
escape). A malicious user could create a Flatpak application that set
environment variables, trusted by the Flatpak “run” command, and use it
to execute arbitrary code outside the sandbox.

Update instructions

In general, a standard system update will make all the necessary changes.

Learn more about how to get the fixes.

The problem can be corrected by updating your system to the following package versions:

Ubuntu Release Package Version
20.10 groovy flatpak –  1.8.2-1ubuntu0.1
libflatpak0 –  1.8.2-1ubuntu0.1
20.04 focal flatpak –  1.6.5-0ubuntu0.2
libflatpak0 –  1.6.5-0ubuntu0.2
18.04 bionic flatpak –  1.0.9-0ubuntu0.2
libflatpak0 –  1.0.9-0ubuntu0.2

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References

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