Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere in Electron

Summary

Electron is a framework for writing cross-platform desktop applications using JavaScript (JS), HTML, and CSS. A vulnerability in versions prior to 18.0.0-beta.6, 17.2.0, 16.2.6, and 15.5.5 allows a renderer with JS execution to obtain access to a new renderer process with `nodeIntegrationInSubFrames` enabled which in turn allows effective access to `ipcRenderer`. The `nodeIntegrationInSubFrames` option does not implicitly grant Node.js access. Rather, it depends on the existing sandbox setting. If an application is sandboxed, then `nodeIntegrationInSubFrames` just gives access to the sandboxed renderer APIs, which include `ipcRenderer`. If the application then additionally exposes IPC messages without IPC `senderFrame` validation that perform privileged actions or return confidential data this access to `ipcRenderer` can in turn compromise your application / user even with the sandbox enabled. Electron versions 18.0.0-beta.6, 17.2.0, 16.2.6, and 15.5.5 contain a fix for this issue. As a workaround, ensure that all IPC message handlers appropriately validate `senderFrame`.

Timeline

1. Jun 13, 2022, 9:05 PM UTCCVE published
2. Apr 23, 2025, 2:05 PM UTCCISA SSVC assessment

   Exploitation: none · Automatable: no · Technical impact: partial

3. Apr 23, 2025, 6:16 PM UTCRecord last updated

Affected versions

• electron electron

  fixed in 15.5.5; From 16.0.0-beta.1 · fixed in 16.2.6; From 17.0.0-beta.1 · fixed in 17.2.0; From 18.0.0-beta.1 · through 18.0.0-beta.5

• electronnpm

  fixed in 15.5.5

• electronnpm

  From 16.0.0 · fixed in 16.2.6

• electronnpm

  From 17.0.0 · fixed in 17.2.0

• electronnpm

  From 18.0.0-beta.1 · fixed in 18.0.0-beta.6

References 1