A logic error in Epiphany's site permission handling can cause camera and microphone access to be granted when the user only approves a different permission.

In src/ephy-window.c, set_permission() stores the user's Allow/Deny choice after a WebKit permission dialog. Types CLIPBOARD and WEBSITE_DATA_ACCESS are not stored by ephy_permission_is_stored_by_permissions_manager(), so control fell into an else-if that was written as:

} else if (EPHY_PERMISSION_TYPE_ACCESS_WEBCAM_AND_MICROPHONE) {

Because that expression is a non-zero enum constant, the branch always ran for those types and wrote EPHY_PERMISSION_PERMIT for both ACCESS_WEBCAM and ACCESS_MICROPHONE for the site origin. The user only saw a Clipboard or Website Data Access dialog.

A malicious site that obtains approval for clipboard or third-party storage access can afterwards use getUserMedia without a further camera/microphone prompt, exposing audiovisual confidentiality.

Requirements: the victim must visit a malicious page and click Allow on a clipboard or website-data-access prompt.

Affected: Epiphany >= 45.0 (bug present at least through 51.x).
Fixed: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/epiphany/-/merge_requests/2249 (commit 480c3648).
Upstream: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/epiphany/-/work_items/2976
Reporter acknowledgment: Fernando Munoz
Advisories

No advisories yet.

Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

Do not approve Clipboard or Website Data Access prompts on untrusted sites. Review and revoke camera and microphone site permissions in Epiphany (site permissions / privacy settings) for any origin where those prompts were accepted. Prefer browsing untrusted content with media devices disconnected or disabled at the OS level. Upgrade to a fixed Epiphany build containing MR !2249 / commit 480c3648 when available for your stream.

History

Sat, 31 Oct 2026 09:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description A logic error in Epiphany's site permission handling can cause camera and microphone access to be granted when the user only approves a different permission. In src/ephy-window.c, set_permission() stores the user's Allow/Deny choice after a WebKit permission dialog. Types CLIPBOARD and WEBSITE_DATA_ACCESS are not stored by ephy_permission_is_stored_by_permissions_manager(), so control fell into an else-if that was written as: } else if (EPHY_PERMISSION_TYPE_ACCESS_WEBCAM_AND_MICROPHONE) { Because that expression is a non-zero enum constant, the branch always ran for those types and wrote EPHY_PERMISSION_PERMIT for both ACCESS_WEBCAM and ACCESS_MICROPHONE for the site origin. The user only saw a Clipboard or Website Data Access dialog. A malicious site that obtains approval for clipboard or third-party storage access can afterwards use getUserMedia without a further camera/microphone prompt, exposing audiovisual confidentiality. Requirements: the victim must visit a malicious page and click Allow on a clipboard or website-data-access prompt. Affected: Epiphany >= 45.0 (bug present at least through 51.x). Fixed: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/epiphany/-/merge_requests/2249 (commit 480c3648). Upstream: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/epiphany/-/work_items/2976 Reporter acknowledgment: Fernando Munoz A logic error in Epiphany's site permission handling can cause camera and microphone access to be granted when the user only approves a different permission. In src/ephy-window.c, set_permission() stores the user's Allow/Deny choice after a WebKit permission dialog. Types CLIPBOARD and WEBSITE_DATA_ACCESS are not stored by ephy_permission_is_stored_by_permissions_manager(), so control fell into an else-if that was written as: } else if (EPHY_PERMISSION_TYPE_ACCESS_WEBCAM_AND_MICROPHONE) { Because that expression is a non-zero enum constant, the branch always ran for those types and wrote EPHY_PERMISSION_PERMIT for both ACCESS_WEBCAM and ACCESS_MICROPHONE for the site origin. The user only saw a Clipboard or Website Data Access dialog. A malicious site that obtains approval for clipboard or third-party storage access can afterwards use getUserMedia without a further camera/microphone prompt, exposing audiovisual confidentiality. Requirements: the victim must visit a malicious page and click Allow on a clipboard or website-data-access prompt. Affected: Epiphany >= 45.0 (bug present at least through 51.x). Fixed: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/epiphany/-/merge_requests/2249 (commit 480c3648). Upstream: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/epiphany/-/work_items/2976 Reporter acknowledgment: Fernando Munoz
Title epiphany: epiphany: clipboard/website-data permission prompt incorrectly grants camera and microphone access epiphany: clipboard/website-data permission prompt incorrectly grants camera and microphone access
References

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description A logic error in Epiphany's site permission handling can cause camera and microphone access to be granted when the user only approves a different permission. In src/ephy-window.c, set_permission() stores the user's Allow/Deny choice after a WebKit permission dialog. Types CLIPBOARD and WEBSITE_DATA_ACCESS are not stored by ephy_permission_is_stored_by_permissions_manager(), so control fell into an else-if that was written as: } else if (EPHY_PERMISSION_TYPE_ACCESS_WEBCAM_AND_MICROPHONE) { Because that expression is a non-zero enum constant, the branch always ran for those types and wrote EPHY_PERMISSION_PERMIT for both ACCESS_WEBCAM and ACCESS_MICROPHONE for the site origin. The user only saw a Clipboard or Website Data Access dialog. A malicious site that obtains approval for clipboard or third-party storage access can afterwards use getUserMedia without a further camera/microphone prompt, exposing audiovisual confidentiality. Requirements: the victim must visit a malicious page and click Allow on a clipboard or website-data-access prompt. Affected: Epiphany >= 45.0 (bug present at least through 51.x). Fixed: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/epiphany/-/merge_requests/2249 (commit 480c3648). Upstream: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/epiphany/-/work_items/2976 Reporter acknowledgment: Fernando Munoz
Title epiphany: epiphany: clipboard/website-data permission prompt incorrectly grants camera and microphone access
Weaknesses CWE-863
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 6.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N'}

threat_severity

Moderate


Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: fedora

Published:

Updated: 2026-10-31T09:29:34.128Z

Reserved: 2026-10-28T16:47:07.290Z

Link: CVE-2026-118598

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-10-31T10:16:37.923

Modified: 2026-10-31T10:16:37.923

Link: CVE-2026-118598

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Moderate

Publid Date: 2026-10-24T00:00:00Z

Links: CVE-2026-118598 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-10-31T10:30:15Z

Weaknesses