---
id: "CVE-2026-118692"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-118692"]
title: "CherryTree: crafted web links run shell commands when clicked"
severity: "high"
cvss: 7.1
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "package"
products: [{"name": "cherrytree", "fixed": [], "affected": "<= 1.7.2", "ecosystem": "desktop"}]
ecosystems: []
tags: ["cherrytree", "command-injection", "desktop", "linux", "package", "windows"]
not_affected_if: ["default-config", "no-custom-link-action"]
published_at: "2026-10-28T22:17:13+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-28T22:35:34+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-28T22:37:31+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-118692", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-28T22:35:34+00:00"}, {"source": "analyst", "url": null, "first_seen_at": "2026-10-28T22:37:31+00:00"}]
---

# CherryTree: crafted web links run shell commands when clicked

CherryTree, a desktop note-taking app, passes unquoted link URLs to a system shell when a custom web link action is enabled. A crafted document with shell metacharacters in a link runs attacker commands as the victim when they click the link.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- desktop:cherrytree affected <= 1.7.2 fixed ?

## How to check

- Open CherryTree and check whether the Custom Web Link Clicked Action option is enabled in preferences.
- Check the installed version with the app's About dialog; versions through `1.7.2` are listed as affected.

## Fix

No fixed version known: latest release 1.7.2 is the last affected version per NVD. Until upstream ships a fix, leave Custom Web Link Clicked Action disabled (default) and do not click links in untrusted documents.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-28T22:35:34+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-118692
- 2026-10-28T22:37:31+00:00 analyst — Only NVD found; no upstream advisory/issue/fix. Upstream changelog's latest release is 1.7.2 (2026-08-22) with no link_clicked/command-injection entry, so no fixed version known (the 1.7.0 entry only covers LaTeX injection, #2846). Source of CtActions::link_clicked on master was too long to read in full, so whether it was patched is unconfirmed. Not exploited, no PoC seen.

## Documents

- [mentions] CherryTree changelog (latest entry 1.7.2, Aug 22 2026; no link_clicked fix) https://raw.githubusercontent.com/giuspen/cherrytree/master/changelog.txt

## From the sources

CherryTree through 1.7.2 contains an OS command injection vulnerability in CtActions::link_clicked that allows attackers to execute commands by embedding shell metacharacters in web link URLs. When the non-default Custom Web Link Clicked Action option is enabled, attackers can supply crafted documents whose links pass $(...), backticks, or semicolons unquoted to std::system, running commands as the victim on click.

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