CVE-2026-46529
Description
A flaw was found in Atril, Evince and Xreader. A malicious link inside a specially crafted PDF document can cause arbitrary code execution when clicked due to improper quoting of attacker-controlled PDF link-destination fields during remote go-to (/GoToR) actions. This issue allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user that clicked on the embedded link.
Statement
To exploit this issue, an attacker needs to convince a user to open a specially crafted PDF document and to click on a malicious link inside the document, limiting its exposure. Also, this flaw allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user that clicked on the embedded link, which is usually a low-privileged user account, limiting its impact. However, an attacker can package a single file that is simultaneously a valid PDF document and a valid ELF shared library, making the exploit self-contained and exploitable via a single click. Due to these reasons, this vulnerability has been rated with an important severity.
Mitigation
To mitigate this vulnerability, do not click on links inside PDF documents from untrusted or unverified sources.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 7.8 | N/A | 7.8 |
| Attack Vector | Local | N/A | Local |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | None | N/A | None |
| User Interaction | Required | N/A | Required |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | High | N/A | High |
| Integrity Impact | High | N/A | High |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | High |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Integrity,Confidentiality,Availability
Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
If a malicious user injects a character (such as a semi-colon) that delimits the end of one command and the beginning of another, it may be possible to then insert an entirely new and unrelated command that was not intended to be executed. This gives an attacker a privilege or capability that they would not otherwise have.
Frequently Asked Questions
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