TuxGuitar: Arbitrary code execution via malicious .tg file
Summary
TuxGuitar, an open-source guitar tablature editor, prior to version 2.1.0 can be made to load and execute an attacker-supplied Java class. A malicious .tg file can point the soundbank path to an archive, including the file itself, that names the class to load. When a user opens the file, the class constructor runs with the privileges of the TuxGuitar process.
Affected
- TuxGuitar versions before 2.1.0
Fixed in
- Version 2.1.0 (fixed by removing the JARSoundbankReader component)
Workaround
Unknown.
Exploitation
- No evidence of exploitation in the wild found; not listed in CISA KEV according to Strix.
- CISA SSVC: exploitation status poc, automatable no, technical impact total.
- Public proof-of-concept status unclear; a daily CVE digest lists a PoC count, which was not verified.
- EPSS about 0.0015.
Our recommendation
- Upgrade TuxGuitar to version 2.1.0 or later on all systems where it is installed.
- Do not open .tg files from untrusted senders; quarantine or block such attachments until patched.
- Check which staff or teachers use TuxGuitar and prioritise those systems.
- Run TuxGuitar with a standard user account to limit the impact.
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-v66p-c82h-w3cq github.com
- Fix commit a7eef20 github.com
- TuxGuitar release 2.1.0 github.com
- TuxGuitar CHANGES github.com
- NVD/CNA text mirror (Vulners) vulners.com
- VulDB entry 421310 vuldb.com
Researched and written up in English and German by an AI (Claude by Anthropic) based on NVD, CISA, EPSS and the sources listed. The vendor information is authoritative. Researched on 1 Nov 2026, 10:28.
Original description (NVD)
TuxGuitar is an open-source guitar tablature editor. Prior to 2.1.0, an untrusted .tg file can set gervil.soundbank.path to reference an on-disk archive, including the .tg file itself, whose META-INF/services/javax.sound.midi.Soundbank entry names an attacker-supplied class stored in that archive. When a user opens the file, JARSoundbankReader uses an unverified class loader to load and instantiate that class, executing its constructor with the privileges of the TuxGuitar process. This issue is fixed in version 2.1.0.
NVD references (4)
Sources
The tracker combines official, freely usable data sources – updated continuously:
- NVD (NIST) – CVEs, rating (CVSS), affected products
- CISA KEV – vulnerabilities confirmed by CISA as actively exploited
- CISA Vulnrichment – CISA assessment (SSVC) in the official CVE record
- FIRST EPSS – probability of exploitation
- Microsoft MSRC – Patch Tuesday: vulnerabilities, severity, updates
- PoC-in-GitHub – public proof-of-concept repositories
- Metasploit (Rapid7) – modules of the Metasploit Framework
- Exploit-DB (OffSec) – archive of public exploits (links only)
- Patch days: official vendor pages (linked per vendor) (Vendor patch days)
This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS data © FIRST.org.
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