MediumGHSA-997q-gvvc-jwmxCVE-2026-114121

Electron: openExternal permission requests can be attributed to the wrong origin

Published 22 Oct 2026 · Updated 22 Oct 2026

Affected packages

Affected
<42.11.3
Fixed in
42.11.3
Update to the fixed version for your release line, for example:npm install electron@42.11.3
Affected
>=43.0.0-alpha.1 <43.7.0
Fixed in
43.7.0
Update to the fixed version for your release line, for example:npm install electron@43.7.0
Affected
>=44.0.0-alpha.1 <44.3.0
Fixed in
44.3.0
Update to the fixed version for your release line, for example:npm install electron@44.3.0
Affected
>=45.0.0-alpha.1 <45.0.0-alpha.5
Fixed in
45.0.0-alpha.5
Update to the fixed version for your release line, for example:npm install electron@45.0.0-alpha.5

Details

Impact

Requests to open external protocol URLs could be attributed to a document other than the one that asked for them, so the requestingUrl passed to session.setPermissionRequestHandler was a trusted origin for a launch untrusted content had requested. An origin-based handler could therefore let untrusted content launch an OS-registered external application.

Apps are only affected if they grant openExternal based on the requesting origin and let untrusted content open or navigate windows. Apps whose permission handler denies openExternal for untrusted content are not affected.

Workarounds

Deny the openExternal permission for untrusted content, or deny the windows it opens with setWindowOpenHandler.

Fixed Versions

  • 45.0.0-alpha.5
  • 44.3.0
  • 43.7.0
  • 42.11.3

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory, email us at [security@electronjs.org](mailto:security@electronjs.org)

Is GHSA-997q-gvvc-jwmx in any of your client repos?

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References

Advisory data from OSV.dev (opens OSV.dev in a new tab), refreshed daily.