# CVE-2026-86692: apport path traversal in extract_keys via base64-encoded keys

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-86692-in-apport-before-2-37-0-a-path-traversal-vulnerability-allows-an  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-11-09. Updated: 2026-11-12  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-86692 · Severity: info · Published 2026-11-09

Apport is a tool for collecting system crash reports and diagnostic information. A path traversal vulnerability allows an attacker who supplies a malicious crash report to create or overwrite files outside the intended extraction directory when the report is processed. An attacker could overwrite user initialization files like .bashrc to gain persistence or execute arbitrary code in the user's context.

Technologies: [Canonical Apport](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/apport). Vendors: [Canonical](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/canonical).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-86692 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-86692 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-86692?** Informational severity, published 9 November 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Canonical Apport before 2.37.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-86692?** Yes: fixed in apport 2.37.0. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-86692 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-86692?** Check whether you run Canonical Apport at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- Fixed in apport 2.37.0

## Technical details

The vulnerability exists in ProblemReport.extract_keys() when processing base64-encoded keys in crash reports; the prior CVE-2026-77113 fix validated keys only in certain code paths but missed the binary=False branch where base64-encoded keys are skipped during load() but later extracted without validation. An attacker can craft a crash report with traversal sequences (e.g., "../../home/user/.bashrc") in a base64-encoded key name; when extracted, these keys are written to filesystem paths built from the unvalidated key name, allowing arbitrary file creation or overwrite with the privileges of the invoking user.

## Affected products

- Canonical apport before 2.37.0

## Timeline

- 2026-11-09: disclosed
- 2026-09-23: patched: Fix merged in GitHub PR #650

## References

- [https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apport/+bug/2167360](https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apport/+bug/2167360)
- [https://github.com/canonical/apport/commit/ca041037929ea3ebd3e0997dcedcf908ca3599a6](https://github.com/canonical/apport/commit/ca041037929ea3ebd3e0997dcedcf908ca3599a6)

## Related threats

- [apport improper privilege management via ldd DT_AUDIT code execution](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-84410-in-apport-before-2-37-0-an-improper-privilege-management)
- [Canonical Apport path traversal in apport-unpack](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-77113-canonical-apport-path-traversal-in-apport-unpack)
- [It was discovered that process_crash() in data/apport in Canonical's Apport crash reporting tool may create crash…](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2025-5467-it-was-discovered-that-process-crash-in-data-apport-in-canonical-s)