# CVE-2026-57501: Security feature bypass in desktop

> A malicious web page can bypass security restrictions to load local files with System privileges via context-menu actions in the Zen browser.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **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:** 9 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 10 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vpvg-hp3v-rm5q

## What is CVE-2026-57501?

CVE-2026-57501 is a vulnerability in zen-browser desktop, published on 9 Jul 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

Zen is a firefox-based browser. Prior to 1.21.5b, Zen's glance and split-view context-menu actions, Open link in glance and Split link in new tab, load a page-controlled link URL with the System principal instead of the originating page's principal, allowing a malicious web page to place a link to a file URL that can load with System privileges when opened through either context-menu item and bypass the content-to-file security check that blocks an ordinary click. This issue is fixed in version 1.21.5b.

Weakness: CWE-266 (Incorrect Privilege Assignment)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-57501?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-57501?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-57501 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-57501 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-57501 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-57501 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-57501 is a vulnerability in zen-browser desktop, published on 9 Jul 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-2026-57501 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: zen-browser desktop. 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-2026-57501/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-57501/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-57501
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-57501
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-57501

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-57501/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.