CVE-2026-39973
7.1 · HIGHOverview
CVE-2026-39973 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting apktool apktool. It was published on April 21, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.1 (HIGH).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.1, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
Technical Description
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.
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from apktool. Update apktool to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| apktool | apktool | >= 3.0.0, < 3.0.2 | Affected |
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2026-39973?
CVE-2026-39973 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting apktool apktool. It was published on April 21, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.1 (HIGH).
How severe is CVE-2026-39973?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.1, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2026-39973?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from apktool. Update apktool to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2026-39973?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2026-39973 across your infrastructure using autonomous pentesting, DAST scanning, and HackBrowser. The platform continuously monitors for known vulnerabilities and provides actionable remediation guidance prioritized by real-world exploitability.
How CyberStrike Helps
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