CVE-2026-43944: Electerm users can run dangrous code through link or command line

Should you act?

Critical and remotely reachable

No known exploitation yet, but it is network-reachable without credentials. This signal is computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS data; it is not an editorial verdict.

• No confirmed exploitation. It is not in CISA’s KEV catalog and CISA’s SSVC assessment records no known exploitation. That can change quickly after a public write-up; re-check if you are affected.
• EPSS 0.6%, percentile 50: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.6% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 50% of all scored CVEs (moderate). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
• Only applies if your dependency tree includes electerm (npm) >= 3.0.6, < 3.8.8, fixed in 3.8.8. Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

What it is

electerm is an open-sourced terminal/ssh/sftp/telnet/serialport/RDP/VNC/Spice/ftp client. From versions 3.0.6 to before 3.8.15, electerm is vulnerable to arbitrary local code execution via deep links, CLI --opts, or crafted shortcuts. Exploit requires clicking a crafted electerm://... link or opening a crafted shortcut/command that launches electerm with attacker-controlled opts. This issue has been patched in version 3.8.15.

From the GitHub advisory

Impact Arbitrary local code execution via deep links, CLI --opts, or crafted shortcuts. Affected users: electerm installs that accept protocol URLs or CLI options (affected versions listed in the original report). Exploit requires clicking a crafted electerm://... link or opening a crafted shortcut/command that launches electerm with attacker-controlled opts.

Patches Fixed in version > 3.8.8

commits:

- https://github.com/electerm/electerm/commit/8a6a17951e96d715f5a231532bbd8303fe208700 - https://github.com/electerm/electerm/commit/a79e06f4a1f0ac6376c3d2411ef4690fa0377742 - https://github.com/electerm/electerm/commit/0599e67069b00e376a2e962649aaad6096e63507

Workarounds - Disable or unregister electerm protocol handlers (Deep Link settings) and avoid clicking electerm:// links. - Do not run electerm with untrusted --opts arguments or open .lnk / .desktop files from untrusted sources. - Restrict which users can launch electerm on shared machines and avoid leaving electerm installed in locations reachable by other users. - As a temporary measure, run electerm in a confined account or sandbox (non-admin user) to reduce impact.

Weakness type: CWE-20, CWE-94, CWE-829.

Product: electerm (npm) · Assigned by: GitHub_M · Published: 2026-05-08

Affected and fixed versions

Severity scores

• Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
• Attack complexity: low
• Attack requirements: none
• Privileges required: none (no login)
• User interaction: passive

CVSS measures how bad a flaw is if exploited, not how likely exploitation is. Read it next to the exploitation data below.

Exploitation and urgency

• CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
• CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation none, automatable no, technical impact total.
• FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 0.65% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 50.

Timeline

• 2026-05-08 — CVE record published by GitHub_M
• 2026-05-08 — GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-mpm8-cx2p-626q published (critical)
• 2026-05-13 — CVE record last updated

Sources and references

Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.

Vulnerability records

1. GitHub Advisory GHSA-mpm8-cx2p-626q github.com
2. CVE.org record CVE-2026-43944 cve.org
3. NVD entry CVE-2026-43944 nvd.nist.gov

Other references from the CVE record and advisory

1. github.com github.com
2. github.com github.com
3. github.com github.com
4. github.com github.com
5. github.com github.com

Critical npm advisories · Today’s Security Digest