# CVE-2023-51698: Atril's CBT comic book parsing vulnerable to Remote Code Execution

> Attackers can execute arbitrary commands on the target system by tricking users into opening a maliciously crafted CBT document in Atril.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 12 Jan 2024
- **Updated:** 17 Jun 2025
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2023-51698, GHSA-34rr-j8v9-v4p2, OESA-2024-1493, OESA-2024-1521, OESA-2024-1522, OESA-2024-1523, OESA-2024-1612, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-51698, openSUSE-SU-2024:13614-1

## What is CVE-2023-51698?

CVE-2023-51698 is a critical command injection vulnerability in mate-desktop atril, published on 12 Jan 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Atril is a simple multi-page document viewer. Atril is vulnerable to a critical Command Injection Vulnerability. This vulnerability gives the attacker immediate access to the target system when the target user opens a crafted document or clicks on a crafted link/URL using a maliciously crafted CBT document which is a TAR archive. A patch is available at commit ce41df6.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-51698?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Mate-Desktop Atril.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-51698?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-51698 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-51698 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in mate-desktop atril

- [CVE-2023-52076](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52076/): Remote Code Execution Vulnerability in Atril's EPUB ebook parsing (high 8.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-51698 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-51698 is a critical command injection vulnerability in mate-desktop atril, published on 12 Jan 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-51698 exists.

Affected product: mate-desktop atril. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-51698/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-51698/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-51698
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-51698
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-51698

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-51698/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.