CVE-2022-23597
Remote program execution with user interaction
Element Desktop is a Matrix client for desktop platforms with Element Web at its core. Element Desktop before 1.9.7 is vulnerable to a remote program execution bug with user interaction. The exploit is non-trivial and requires clicking on a malicious link, followed by another button click. To the best of our knowledge, the vulnerability has never been exploited in the wild. If you are using Element Desktop < 1.9.7, we recommend upgrading at your earliest convenience. If successfully exploited, the vulnerability allows an attacker to specify a file path of a binary on the victim's computer which then gets executed. Notably, the attacker does not have the ability to specify program arguments. However, in certain unspecified configurations, the attacker may be able to specify an URI instead of a file path which then gets handled using standard platform mechanisms. These may allow exploiting further vulnerabilities in those mechanisms, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- Required
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
8.3
Remote program execution with user interaction
Element Desktop is a Matrix client for desktop platforms with Element Web at its core. Element Desktop before 1.9.7 is vulnerable to a remote program execution bug with user interaction. The exploit is non-trivial and requires clicking on a malicious link, followed by another button click. To the best of our knowledge, the vulnerability has never been exploited in the wild. If you are using Element Desktop < 1.9.7, we recommend upgrading at your earliest convenience. If successfully exploited, the vulnerability allows an attacker to specify a file path of a binary on the victim's computer which then gets executed. Notably, the attacker does not have the ability to specify program arguments. However, in certain unspecified configurations, the attacker may be able to specify an URI instead of a file path which then gets handled using standard platform mechanisms. These may allow exploiting further vulnerabilities in those mechanisms, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution.
- Record
CVE-2022-23597- CVSS 3.1
- 8.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-416
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2022-28571
8.3
Element Desktop is a Matrix client for desktop platforms with Element Web at its core. Element Desktop before 1.9.7 is vulnerable to a remote program execution bug with user interaction. The exploit is non-trivial and requires clicking on a malicious link, followed by another button click. To the best of our knowledge, the vulnerability has never been exploited in the wild. If you are using Element Desktop < 1.9.7, we recommend upgrading at your earliest convenience. If successfully exploited, the vulnerability allows an attacker to specify a file path of a binary on the victim's computer which then gets executed. Notably, the attacker does not have the ability to specify program arguments. However, in certain unspecified configurations, the attacker may be able to specify an URI instead of a file path which then gets handled using standard platform mechanisms. These may allow exploiting further vulnerabilities in those mechanisms, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution.
- Record
EUVD-2022-28571- CVSS 3.1
- 8.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
8.3
Element Desktop is a Matrix client for desktop platforms with Element Web at its core. Element Desktop before 1.9.7 is vulnerable to a remote program execution bug with user interaction. The exploit is non-trivial and requires clicking on a malicious link, followed by another button click. To the best of our knowledge, the vulnerability has never been exploited in the wild. If you are using Element Desktop < 1.9.7, we recommend upgrading at your earliest convenience. If successfully exploited, the vulnerability allows an attacker to specify a file path of a binary on the victim's computer which then gets executed. Notably, the attacker does not have the ability to specify program arguments. However, in certain unspecified configurations, the attacker may be able to specify an URI instead of a file path which then gets handled using standard platform mechanisms. These may allow exploiting further vulnerabilities in those mechanisms, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution.
- Record
CVE-2022-23597- CVSS 3.1
- 8.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 5.1 Medium
AV:N/AC:H/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-416
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
8.3
Remote program execution with user interaction
Element Desktop is a Matrix client for desktop platforms with Element Web at its core. Element Desktop before 1.9.7 is vulnerable to a remote program execution bug with user interaction. The exploit is non-trivial and requires clicking on a malicious link, followed by another button click. To the best of our knowledge, the vulnerability has never been exploited in the wild. If you are using Element Desktop < 1.9.7, we recommend upgrading at your earliest convenience. If successfully exploited, the vulnerability allows an attacker to specify a file path of a binary on the victim's computer which then gets executed. Notably, the attacker does not have the ability to specify program arguments. However, in certain unspecified configurations, the attacker may be able to specify an URI instead of a file path which then gets handled using standard platform mechanisms. These may allow exploiting further vulnerabilities in those mechanisms, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution.
- Record
CVE-2022-23597- CVSS 3.1
- 8.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2024:11789-1 No score
element-desktop-1.9.9-1.1 on GA media
These are all security issues fixed in the element-desktop-1.9.9-1.1 package on the GA media of openSUSE Tumbleweed.
- Record
openSUSE-SU-2024:11789-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2024:11790-1 No score
element-web-1.9.9-1.1 on GA media
These are all security issues fixed in the element-web-1.9.9-1.1 package on the GA media of openSUSE Tumbleweed.
- Record
openSUSE-SU-2024:11790-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
element-desktopopenSUSE:Tumbleweed |
before 1.9.9-1.1 | 1.9.9-1.1 |
element-webopenSUSE:Tumbleweed |
before 1.9.9-1.1 | 1.9.9-1.1 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2022-23597 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.3) in Element Desktop, published February 1, 2022. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.51%, the 74th percentile. Fixed in element-desktop 1.9.9-1.1.
References
github.com/vector-im/element-desktop/security/advisories/GHSA-mjrg-9f8r-h3m7
github.com/vector-im/element-desktop/commit/89b1e39b801655e595337708d4319ba4313feafa
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2022/23xxx/CVE-2022-23597.json
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-23597
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2022-23597