Electron up to 38.8.5/39.7.x/40.6.x setPermissionRequestHandler use after free

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Electron up to 38.8.5/39.7.x/40.6.x and classified as critical. The affected element is the function setPermissionRequestHandler. Executing a manipulation can lead to use after free. This vulnerability is registered as CVE-2026-34771. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. No exploit is available. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Electron up to 38.8.5/39.7.x/40.6.x. This vulnerability affects the function setPermissionRequestHandler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

Electron is a framework for writing cross-platform desktop applications using JavaScript, HTML and CSS. Prior to versions 38.8.6, 39.8.0, 40.7.0, and 41.0.0-beta.8, apps that register an asynchronous session.setPermissionRequestHandler() may be vulnerable to a use-after-free when handling fullscreen, pointer-lock, or keyboard-lock permission requests. If the requesting frame navigates or the window closes while the permission handler is pending, invoking the stored callback dereferences freed memory, which may lead to a crash or memory corruption. Apps that do not set a permission request handler, or whose handler responds synchronously, are not affected. This issue has been patched in versions 38.8.6, 39.8.0, 40.7.0, and 41.0.0-beta.8.

The advisory is shared for download at github.com. This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-34771 since 03/30/2026. The exploitation appears to be difficult. The attack can be initiated remotely. No form of authentication is required for a successful exploitation. Successful exploitation requires user interaction by the victim. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

Upgrading to version 38.8.6, 39.8.0, 40.7.0 or 41.0.0-beta.8 eliminates this vulnerability.

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Productinfo

Name

• Electron

Version

• 38.8.0
• 38.8.1
• 38.8.2
• 38.8.3
• 38.8.4
• 38.8.5
• 39.0
• 39.1
• 39.2
• 39.3
• 39.4
• 39.5
• 39.6
• 39.7
• 40.0
• 40.1
• 40.2
• 40.3
• 40.4
• 40.5
• 40.6

Website

• Product: https://github.com/electron/electron/

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