CVE-2026-4980

A vulnerability was found in Inkscape due to improper handling of XInclude elements in SVG files. The application processes xi:include directives without restricting access to local resources, allowing external file references such as file:// URIs to be included during document processing. An attacker could exploit this by crafting a malicious SVG file that references sensitive local files. When the file is opened or processed by Inkscape, the contents of the referenced files may be embedded in the output, leading to unauthorized disclosure of local information.

This vulnerability is rated Moderate severity as even if the remote attacker wants to exploit it; it requires a local user to pass/process a specially crafted SVG file to the Inkscape. The issue arises from unrestricted XInclude processing, which allows external file references to be resolved and included in the output. Successful exploitation can result in disclosure of sensitive local files. The scope is changed (S:C) because the vulnerability allows access to resources or file system outside the intended application boundary. There is no impact on integrity or availability.

The vulnerable code was introduced in Inkscape beginning with version 1.1, when XInclude support was added.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, 7, and 8 ship older versions of Inkscape that do not include XInclude support; therefore, the vulnerable code is not present in these releases.

The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.

Red Hat is not aware of a practical temporary workaround that fully mitigates this issue or meets Red Hat Product Security's standards for usability, deployment, applicability, or stability.