CVE-2026-34079
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedFlatpak is a Linux application sandboxing and distribution framework. Prior to 1.16.4, the caching for ld.so removes outdated cache files without properly checking that the app controlled path to the outdated cache is in the cache directory. This allows Flatpak apps to delete arbitrary files on the host. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.16.4.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceFlatpak versions prior to 1.16.4 contain a path traversal vulnerability in the ld.so cache cleanup mechanism. The caching system removes outdated cache files without validating that the app-controlled path is within the designated cache directory, allowing Flatpak sandboxed applications to escape containment and delete arbitrary files on the host filesystem.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 1.16.4CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Determine installed Flatpak versionRun 'flatpak --version' to retrieve the version number of the Flatpak runtime installed on the systemAffected if The version shown is less than 1.16.4 (for example, 1.16.3, 1.14.x, 1.12.x, etc.)
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Verify Flatpak package version via package managerFor systems using dpkg, run 'dpkg -l | grep flatpak'; for rpm-based systems, run 'rpm -qa | grep flatpak'Affected if The listed Flatpak package version is earlier than 1.16.4
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Identify ld.so cache cleanup contextThe vulnerability affects the ld.so cache cleanup mechanism triggered when Flatpak removes outdated cache files in the runtime environment. Check if applications using Flatpak runtimes are in active use, as this mechanism runs during runtime updates or cleanup operationsAffected if Flatpak runtimes are actively used and the cache cleanup mechanism executes, which is standard behavior during runtime maintenance
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Confirm cache directory structure existsInspect the typical Flatpak cache directories under '~/.cache/flatpak/' or '/var/cache/flatpak/' for runtime-related cache files, particularly ld.so.cache related entriesAffected if Cache directories exist and contain runtime cache files that would be processed by the cleanup mechanism
Your environment is affected if the installed Flatpak version is prior to 1.16.4 and Flatpak runtimes are actively used, as the vulnerable ld.so cache cleanup path traversal flaw would be present in that configuration.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped1.16.4
Upgrade Flatpak to version 1.16.4 or later to remediate this vulnerability. In enterprise environments, test existing Flatpak applications after the upgrade to ensure compatibility.
1.16.4
- Check the current Flatpak version by running: flatpak --version
- Update your system's package repository to ensure you have access to the latest packages
- Upgrade Flatpak to version 1.16.4 or later using your system's package manager (e.g., apt-get update && apt-get install flatpak, or dnf update flatpak, or pacman -Syu flatpak)
- Verify the upgrade was successful by running: flatpak --version (should show 1.16.4 or higher)
- Test that your existing Flatpak installations still work correctly after the upgrade
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2026-34079 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-34079 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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