CVE-2023-51698Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Code execution via TAR checkpoint-action argument injection

Published Jan 12, 2024 · Updated Jun 17, 2025

Command injection in Atril 1.26.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code when a user opens a crafted CBT document. The CBT parser passes attacker-controlled archive member names to external tar commands, while its size-dependent gtk_main_quit guard can fail and permit extraction to continue. Exploitation requires the document to be opened or previewed, after which commands run with the victim account's privileges.

CVSS severity9.6
Critical
EPSS probability2.36%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Command injection in Atril 1.26.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code when a user opens a crafted CBT document. The CBT parser passes attacker-controlled archive member names to external tar commands, while its size-dependent gtk_main_quit guard can fail and permit extraction to continue. Exploitation requires the document to be opened or previewed, after which commands run with the victim account's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-51698
Published
Jan 12, 2024
Updated
Jun 17, 2025
Vendor
MATE Desktop
Product
Atril
Classifications
CWE-78, T1204.002
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 12, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jun 17, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=<= 1.26.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

MATE Desktop · Atrilversion=<= 1.26.3

Published CVSS scores

8.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.6GitHub Security AdvisoryCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-78Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
T1204.002Malicious File

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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