CVE-2016-10534 in electron-packager
Summary
by MITRE
electron-packager is a command line tool that packages Electron source code into `.app` and `.exe` packages. along with Electron. The `--strict-ssl` command line option in electron-packager >= 5.2.1 <= 6.0.0 || >=6.0.0 <= 6.0.2 defaults to false if not explicitly set to true. This could allow an attacker to perform a man in the middle attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/17/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10534 resides within electron-packager, a widely used command line tool designed to package Electron applications into distributable formats including macOS `.app` files and Windows `.exe` executables. This tool serves as a critical component in the Electron application development ecosystem, enabling developers to create cross-platform applications that can be easily distributed to end users. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions of electron-packager ranging from 5.2.1 through 6.0.0 and again from 6.0.0 through 6.0.2, creating a window of exposure where the tool's security defaults could be exploited by malicious actors.
The core technical flaw involves the improper default configuration of the `--strict-ssl` command line option within electron-packager. This option controls whether the tool enforces strict SSL certificate validation during the packaging process when downloading dependencies or resources from remote servers. When the `--strict-ssl` flag is not explicitly set to true, the tool defaults to false, which effectively disables SSL certificate verification. This misconfiguration creates a significant security gap because it allows the packaging tool to accept and use certificates from untrusted authorities or expired certificates, making it vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks. The vulnerability manifests when electron-packager attempts to download required components or dependencies from remote sources during the application packaging process, as the lack of strict SSL validation enables attackers to intercept and modify the downloaded content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple network traffic interception, as it fundamentally undermines the integrity and authenticity of the packaged applications. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can inject malicious code or modify legitimate dependencies during the download process, potentially leading to the distribution of compromised applications to end users. This creates a supply chain attack vector where the vulnerability exists not in the final application but in the packaging tool itself, affecting all developers who use electron-packager to create distributable packages. The consequences can be severe, including data breaches, system compromise, and reputational damage for organizations whose applications are distributed through compromised packaging processes, particularly when these applications are used in enterprise environments where security is paramount.
Organizations and developers should immediately upgrade to electron-packager versions that have addressed this vulnerability, typically those beyond the affected ranges mentioned in the CVE description. The recommended mitigation strategy involves explicitly setting the `--strict-ssl=true` flag when using electron-packager to ensure that SSL certificate validation is always enforced during the packaging process. Additionally, security teams should implement monitoring for any unauthorized changes to development environments and ensure that all dependencies are verified through multiple channels. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1195.002 for supply chain compromise, emphasizing the critical nature of securing development tooling and build processes. The incident underscores the importance of secure coding practices and default security configurations in development tools, as vulnerabilities in these components can have far-reaching consequences across the entire software supply chain.