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CVE-2026-39973

Apktool: Path Traversal to Arbitrary File Write

7.1 HighPublic exploitFix available

Apktool is a tool for reverse engineering Android APK files. In versions 3.0.0 and 3.0.1, a path traversal vulnerability in brut/androlib/res/decoder/ResFileDecoder.java allows a maliciously crafted APK to write arbitrary files to the filesystem during standard decoding (apktool d). This is a security regression introduced in commit e10a045 (PR #4041, December 12, 2025), which removed the BrutIO.sanitizePath() call that previously prevented path traversal in resource file output paths. An attacker can embed ../ sequences in the resources.arsc Type String Pool to escape the output directory and write files to arbitrary locations, including ~/.ssh/config, ~/.bashrc, or Windows Startup folders, escalating to RCE. The fix in version 3.0.2 re-introduces BrutIO.sanitizePath() in ResFileDecoder.java before file write operations.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
None
User interaction
Required

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
None

Exploit likelihood

0.18%Up 0.2 points since Apr 21, 2026
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 7.1

Apktool: Path Traversal to Arbitrary File Write

Apktool is a tool for reverse engineering Android APK files. In versions 3.0.0 and 3.0.1, a path traversal vulnerability in brut/androlib/res/decoder/ResFileDecoder.java allows a maliciously crafted APK to write arbitrary files to the filesystem during standard decoding (apktool d). This is a security regression introduced in commit e10a045 (PR #4041, December 12, 2025), which removed the BrutIO.sanitizePath() call that previously prevented path traversal in resource file output paths. An attacker can embed ../ sequences in the resources.arsc Type String Pool to escape the output directory and write files to arbitrary locations, including ~/.ssh/config, ~/.bashrc, or Windows Startup folders, escalating to RCE. The fix in version 3.0.2 re-introduces BrutIO.sanitizePath() in ResFileDecoder.java before file write operations.

Record
CVE-2026-39973
CVSS 3.1
7.1 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-22
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-24043 7.1

Apktool is a tool for reverse engineering Android APK files. In versions 3.0.0 and 3.0.1, a path traversal vulnerability in brut/androlib/res/decoder/ResFileDecoder.java allows a maliciously crafted APK to write arbitrary files to the filesystem during standard decoding (apktool d). This is a security regression introduced in commit e10a045 (PR #4041, December 12, 2025), which removed the BrutIO.sanitizePath() call that previously prevented path traversal in resource file output paths. An attacker can embed ../ sequences in the resources.arsc Type String Pool to escape the output directory and write files to arbitrary locations, including ~/.ssh/config, ~/.bashrc, or Windows Startup folders, escalating to RCE. The fix in version 3.0.2 re-introduces BrutIO.sanitizePath() in ResFileDecoder.java before file write operations.

Record
EUVD-2026-24043
CVSS 3.1
7.1 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-m8mh-x359-vm8m 7.1

Apktool: Path Traversal to Arbitrary File Write

A path traversal vulnerability in brut/androlib/res/decoder/ResFileDecoder.java allows a maliciously crafted APK to write arbitrary files to the filesystem during standard decoding (apktool d). This is a security regression introduced in commit e10a045 (PR #4041, December 12, 2025), which removed the BrutIO.sanitizePath() call that previously prevented path traversal in resource file output paths.

An attacker can embed ../ sequences in the resources.arsc Type String Pool to escape the output directory and write files to arbitrary locations, including ~/.ssh/config, ~/.bashrc, or Windows Startup folders, escalating to RCE.

Fix: Re-introduce BrutIO.sanitizePath() in ResFileDecoder.java before file write operations.

Record
GHSA-m8mh-x359-vm8m
CVSS 3.1
7.1 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-22
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 7.1

Apktool is a tool for reverse engineering Android APK files. In versions 3.0.0 and 3.0.1, a path traversal vulnerability in brut/androlib/res/decoder/ResFileDecoder.java allows a maliciously crafted APK to write arbitrary files to the filesystem during standard decoding (apktool d). This is a security regression introduced in commit e10a045 (PR #4041, December 12, 2025), which removed the BrutIO.sanitizePath() call that previously prevented path traversal in resource file output paths. An attacker can embed ../ sequences in the resources.arsc Type String Pool to escape the output directory and write files to arbitrary locations, including ~/.ssh/config, ~/.bashrc, or Windows Startup folders, escalating to RCE. The fix in version 3.0.2 re-introduces BrutIO.sanitizePath() in ResFileDecoder.java before file write operations.

Record
CVE-2026-39973
CVSS 3.1
7.1 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-22
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 7.1

Apktool: Path Traversal to Arbitrary File Write

Apktool is a tool for reverse engineering Android APK files. In versions 3.0.0 and 3.0.1, a path traversal vulnerability in brut/androlib/res/decoder/ResFileDecoder.java allows a maliciously crafted APK to write arbitrary files to the filesystem during standard decoding (apktool d). This is a security regression introduced in commit e10a045 (PR #4041, December 12, 2025), which removed the BrutIO.sanitizePath() call that previously prevented path traversal in resource file output paths. An attacker can embed ../ sequences in the resources.arsc Type String Pool to escape the output directory and write files to arbitrary locations, including ~/.ssh/config, ~/.bashrc, or Windows Startup folders, escalating to RCE. The fix in version 3.0.2 re-introduces BrutIO.sanitizePath() in ResFileDecoder.java before file write operations.

Record
CVE-2026-39973
CVSS 3.1
7.1 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-22
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-m8mh-x359-vm8m 7.1

Apktool: Path Traversal to Arbitrary File Write

A path traversal vulnerability in brut/androlib/res/decoder/ResFileDecoder.java allows a maliciously crafted APK to write arbitrary files to the filesystem during standard decoding (apktool d). This is a security regression introduced in commit e10a045 (PR #4041, December 12, 2025), which removed the BrutIO.sanitizePath() call that previously prevented path traversal in resource file output paths.

An attacker can embed ../ sequences in the resources.arsc Type String Pool to escape the output directory and write files to arbitrary locations, including ~/.ssh/config, ~/.bashrc, or Windows Startup folders, escalating to RCE.

Fix: Re-introduce BrutIO.sanitizePath() in ResFileDecoder.java before file write operations.

Record
GHSA-m8mh-x359-vm8m
CVSS 3.1
7.1 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-22
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2026-39973 7.1

Apktool is a tool for reverse engineering Android APK files. In versions 3.0.0 and 3.0.1, a path traversal vulnerability in brut/androlib/res/decoder/ResFileDecoder.java allows a maliciously crafted APK to write arbitrary files to the filesystem during standard decoding (apktool d). This is a security regression introduced in commit e10a045 (PR #4041, December 12, 2025), which removed the BrutIO.sanitizePath() call that previously prevented path traversal in resource file output paths. An attacker can embed ../ sequences in the resources.arsc Type String Pool to escape the output directory and write files to arbitrary locations, including ~/.ssh/config, ~/.bashrc, or Windows Startup folders, escalating to RCE. The fix in version 3.0.2 re-introduces BrutIO.sanitizePath() in ResFileDecoder.java before file write operations.

Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2026-39973
CVSS 3.1
7.1 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
org.apktool:apktool-lib
Maven
 3.0.0 up to 3.0.2
3.0.2
org.apktool:apktool-lib
Maven
 3.0.0 up to 3.0.2, plus listed versions
3.0.1
3.0.2
apktool
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS
 All versions, plus listed versions
2.0.2+dfsg-12.0.2+dfsg-2
 None known
apktool
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS
 All versions, plus listed versions
2.2.4+dfsg-12.3.0+dfsg-12.3.1+dfsg-12.3.4-1~18.04
 None known
apktool
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS
 All versions, plus listed versions
2.4.0-1
 None known
apktool
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS
 All versions, plus listed versions
2.5.0+dfsg.1-2build1
 None known
apktool
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS
 All versions, plus listed versions
2.7.0+dfsg-62.7.0+dfsg-7
 None known
apktool
Ubuntu:25.10
 All versions, plus listed versions
2.7.0+dfsg-7
 None known
apktool
Ubuntu:26.10
 All versions, plus listed versions
2.7.0+dfsg-7.1ubuntu12.7.0+dfsg-7.2
 None known
apktool
Ubuntu:26.04:LTS
 All versions, plus listed versions
2.7.0+dfsg-72.7.0+dfsg-7.1ubuntu1
 None known

Public exploits

Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.

Public exploits
SourceLinkDate
PoC in GitHubfrawlaboy/CVE-2026-39973-PoC2026-04-30

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
first indexedCVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV, PoC in GitHub

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2026-39973 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.1) in Apktool, published April 21, 2026. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.18%, the 7th percentile. Fixed in org.apktool:apktool-lib 3.0.2.

References

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