# CVE-2026-43941: Unvalidated shell.openExternal in electerm allows arbitrary protocol execution via terminal link click

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code or access local files by tricking users into clicking malicious links in the terminal interface.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** No
- **Published:** 8 May 2026
- **Updated:** 8 May 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-fwf6-j56g-m97c

## What is CVE-2026-43941?

CVE-2026-43941 is a critical command injection vulnerability in electerm, published on 8 May 2026. 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

electerm is an open-sourced terminal/ssh/sftp/telnet/serialport/RDP/VNC/Spice/ftp client. In versions 3.8.15 and prior, Electerm's terminal hyperlink handler passes any URL clicked in the terminal directly to shell.openExternal without any protocol validation. An attacker who controls terminal output (e.g., via a malicious SSH server, compromised remote host, or malicious plugin rendering terminal content) can thus achieve arbitrary code execution or local file access on the victim's machine, requiring only that the victim clicks a displayed link. At time of publication, there are no publicly available patches.

Weakness: CWE-88 (Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command), CWE-601 (URL Redirection to Untrusted Site)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-43941?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including electerm. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `electerm` | npm | All versions to 3.8.15 | None |
| `electerm` | npm | All versions to 3.8.15 | None |

Products: Electerm Project Electerm.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-43941?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-43941 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-43941 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-43941 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in electerm

- [CVE-2026-41500](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-41500/): electerm has Command Injection Vulnerability via runMac function (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-41501](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-41501/): electerm has Command Injection Vulnerability via runLinux function (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-23256](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-23256/): electerm allows unauthorized users to execute arbitrary commands (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-43944](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43944/): electerm: dangerous code can be run through links or command line (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2026-45353](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-45353/): electerm: Local code through electerm's single-instance socket (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-43941 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-43941 is a critical command injection vulnerability in electerm, published on 8 May 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-43941 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- electerm (npm): affected all versions up to 3.8.15; no fix listed
- electerm (npm): affected all versions up to 3.8.15; no fix listed

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-2026-43941/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43941/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-43941
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-43941
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-43941

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43941/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.