CVE-2026-70597

Electron: Parent process code-sign check is spoofable

Workarounds

There are no app side workarounds, you must update to a patched version of Electron.

Fixed Versions

• 42.0.0-beta.3
• 41.2.1
• 40.9.0
• 39.8.8

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory, email us at [email protected]

On macOS, the check Electron uses to confirm it was launched by a same-signed parent process could be bypassed by a local process. Apps that enable the fuse-based hardening restricting ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE and NODE_OPTIONS to same-signed parents rely on this check; a local attacker could bypass it and run their own code inside the signed app, inheriting its TCC permissions and keychain access.

Apps are only affected if they enable those macOS fuse-based restrictions. Apps that do not enable them are not affected.

CVE-2026-70597 has a CVSS score of 6.3 (Medium). The vector is requires local access, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (39.8.8, 40.9.1, 41.2.1, 42.0.0-beta.3); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

Already deployed Kodem?

1. What is CVE-2026-70597? CVE-2026-70597 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in electron (npm), affecting versions < 39.8.8. It is fixed in 39.8.8, 40.9.1, 41.2.1, 42.0.0-beta.3.
2. How severe is CVE-2026-70597? CVE-2026-70597 has a CVSS score of 6.3 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of electron are affected by CVE-2026-70597? electron (npm) versions < 39.8.8 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2026-70597? Yes. CVE-2026-70597 is fixed in 39.8.8, 40.9.1, 41.2.1, 42.0.0-beta.3. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2026-70597 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-70597 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2026-70597 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2026-70597?
   • Upgrade electron to 39.8.8 or later
   • Upgrade electron to 40.9.1 or later
   • Upgrade electron to 41.2.1 or later
   • Upgrade electron to 42.0.0-beta.3 or later

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