Electron: Sandboxed iframes can launch external protocol handlers
### Impact Requests to open external protocol URLs from web content did not take iframe sandbox restrictions into account, so a sandboxed iframe could cause an OS-registered external application to be launched. The frame's sandbox state was also not made available to the app's permission handlers. Apps are only affected if they render untrusted content in sandboxed iframes and grant the `openExternal` permission (granted by default when no `setPermissionRequestHandler` is installed). Apps whose permission handler denies `openExternal` for untrusted content are not affected. ### Workarounds Install a `setPermissionRequestHandler` that denies the `openExternal` permission for untrusted content. ### Fixed Versions * `42.0.0-beta.3` * `41.2.1` * `40.9.0` * `39.8.8` ### For more information If you have any questions or comments about this advisory, email Electron at [security@electronjs.org](mailto:security@electronjs.org)
describes (1)
Related CVEs.
| ID | severity | exploitable | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2026-70612US | — | — | ||
Electron is a framework for writing cross-platform desktop applications using JavaScript, HTML and CSS. Prior to 39.8.8, 40.9.0, 41.2.1, and 42.0.0-beta.3, requests to open externa… | ||||
references
External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.
- https://github.com/electron/electronPACKAGE
- https://github.com/electron/electron/commit/08b9d0a220e267d1a2402a44bdd01a2e9aa320b5WEB
- https://github.com/electron/electron/commit/2764e4c35168855f614876051823db4f58a3714aWEB
- https://github.com/electron/electron/commit/477dcf7afc6550715f9ec5e6f39ee38e5dd7bf39WEB
- https://github.com/electron/electron/commit/c39e3d5687d57434c8d5fe814c5152efd2f631c3WEB
- https://github.com/electron/electron/pull/50961WEB
- https://github.com/electron/electron/pull/50962WEB
- https://github.com/electron/electron/pull/50963WEB
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