CVE-2022-32278

XFCE 4.16 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code because xdg-open can execute a .desktop file...

8.8 HighFix available

XFCE 4.16 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code because xdg-open can execute a .desktop file on an attacker-controlled FTP server.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector: Network
Complexity: Low
Privileges needed: None
User interaction: Required

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: High

Exploit likelihood

1.77%Down 0.8 points since Jun 14, 2022

What each source reports

NVD Score used 8.8

XFCE 4.16 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code because xdg-open can execute a .desktop file on an attacker-controlled FTP server.

Record: CVE-2022-32278
CVSS 3.1: 8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0: 6.8 MediumAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
Updated: 2026-11-02

CVE List No score

XFCE 4.16 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code because xdg-open can execute a .desktop file on an attacker-controlled FTP server.

Record: CVE-2022-32278
Updated: 2026-11-02

EUVDEUVD-2022-53475 No score

XFCE 4.16 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code because xdg-open can execute a .desktop file on an attacker-controlled FTP server.

Record: EUVD-2022-53475
Updated: 2026-11-03

GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-9xwj-fh68-48fj 8.8

XFCE 4.16 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code because xdg-open can execute a .desktop file...

XFCE 4.16 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code because xdg-open can execute a .desktop file on an attacker-controlled FTP server.

Record: GHSA-9xwj-fh68-48fj
CVSS 3.1: 8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2022-32278 8.8

XFCE 4.16 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code because xdg-open can execute a .desktop file on an attacker-controlled FTP server.

Record: DEBIAN-CVE-2022-32278
CVSS 3.1: 8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-03

OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2022-32278 8.8

XFCE 4.16 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code because xdg-open can execute a .desktop file on an attacker-controlled FTP server.

Record: UBUNTU-CVE-2022-32278
CVSS 3.1: 8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSV No score

XFCE 4.16 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code because xdg-open can execute a .desktop file on an attacker-controlled FTP server.

Record: CVE-2022-32278
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVMGASA-2022-0238 No score

Updated exo packages fix security vulnerability

Changed to prevent executing possibly malicious .desktop files from online sources (ftp://, http:// etc.).

Record: MGASA-2022-0238
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVUSN-6008-1 No score

exo vulnerability

It was discovered that Exo did not properly sanitized desktop files. A remote attacker could possibly use this issue to to cause a crash or arbitrary code execution.

Record: USN-6008-1
Updated: 2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
Package	Affected	Fixed
`exo` Debian:12	before 4.16.4-1	4.16.4-1
`exo` Debian:13	before 4.16.4-1	4.16.4-1
`exo` Debian:14	before 4.16.4-1	4.16.4-1
`exo` Debian:9	before 0.10.7-1+deb9u1, plus listed versions 0.10.7-1	0.10.7-1+deb9u1
`exo` Debian:10	before 0.12.4-1+deb10u1, plus listed versions 0.12.4-1	0.12.4-1+deb10u1
`exo` Debian:11	before 4.16.0-1+deb11u1, plus listed versions 4.16.0-1	4.16.0-1+deb11u1
`exo` Mageia:8	before 4.16.0-1.1.mga8	4.16.0-1.1.mga8
`exo` Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS	before 0.10.2-3ubuntu1.14.04.2+esm1, plus listed versions 0.10.2-20.10.2-2ubuntu10.10.2-3ubuntu10.10.2-3ubuntu1.14.04.10.10.2-3ubuntu1.14.04.2	0.10.2-3ubuntu1.14.04.2+esm1
`exo` Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS	before 0.10.7-1ubuntu0.1~esm1, plus listed versions 0.10.7-1	0.10.7-1ubuntu0.1~esm1
`exo` Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS	before 0.12.2-0ubuntu0.18.04.1+esm1, plus listed versions 0.11.5-10.12.0-10.12.2-0ubuntu0.18.04.1	0.12.2-0ubuntu0.18.04.1+esm1

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Affected packages
Package	Affected	Fixed
`exo` Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS	before 0.12.11-1ubuntu1.20.04.1+esm1, plus listed versions 0.12.8-10.12.11-10.12.11-1ubuntu10.12.11-1ubuntu1.20.04.1	0.12.11-1ubuntu1.20.04.1+esm1
`exo` Ubuntu:Pro:22.04:LTS	before 4.16.3-1ubuntu0.1~esm1, plus listed versions 4.16.2-14.16.3-1	4.16.3-1ubuntu0.1~esm1
`exo` Ubuntu:24.04:LTS	All versions, plus listed versions 4.18.0-14.18.0-1build24.18.0-1build34.18.0-1build4	None known
`exo` Ubuntu:25.10	All versions, plus listed versions 4.20.0-1	None known
`exo` Ubuntu:26.10	All versions, plus listed versions 4.20.0-1build1	None known
`exo` Ubuntu:26.04:LTS	All versions, plus listed versions 4.20.0-14.20.0-1build1	None known

History

History
Recorded	Changed	Sources
Nov 3, 2026	aliases	EUVD
Nov 2, 2026	first indexed	CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

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

In short

CVE-2022-32278 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.8) in Debian Linux, published June 13, 2022. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.77%, the 78th percentile. Fixed in exo 4.16.4-1.

References

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