# CVE-2024-39613: RCE in desktop app in Windows by local attacker

> A local attacker can execute arbitrary code by placing a malicious cmd.exe in the user's Downloads folder due to insecure path resolution.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wj4j-qc2m-fgh7

## What is CVE-2024-39613?

CVE-2024-39613 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Mattermost, published on 16 Sep 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Mattermost Desktop App versions <=5.8.0 fail to specify an absolute path when searching the cmd.exe file,  which allows a local attacker who is able to put an cmd.exe file in the Downloads folder of a user's machine to cause remote code execution on that machine.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-39613?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including mattermost-desktop. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `mattermost-desktop` | npm | All versions | 5.9.0 |
| `mattermost-desktop` | npm | All versions | 5.9.0 |

Products: Mattermost Mattermost Desktop.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-39613?

Upgrade mattermost-desktop to 5.9.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2024-39613 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-39613 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Mattermost

- [CVE-2016-11064](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-11064/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-20856](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-20856/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-20861](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-20861/): Code injection in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-1046](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-1046/): Arbitrary application execution via unvalidated server-controlled URLs in Help menu (high 7.6)
- [CVE-2020-14456](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-14456/): Security feature bypass in n/a (high 7.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-39613 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-39613 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Mattermost, published on 16 Sep 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-39613 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- mattermost-desktop (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 5.9.0
- mattermost-desktop (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 5.9.0

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-2024-39613/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-39613/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-39613
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-39613
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-39613

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-39613/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.