CVE-2016-10643 in jstestdriver
Summary
by MITRE
jstestdriver is a wrapper for Google's jstestdriver. jstestdriver downloads binary resources over HTTP, which leaves it vulnerable to MITM attacks. It may be possible to cause remote code execution (RCE) by swapping out the requested binary with an attacker controlled binary if the attacker is on the network or positioned in between the user and the remote server.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/14/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10643 affects jstestdriver, a tool that serves as a wrapper for Google's jstestdriver framework used for JavaScript testing. This tool operates by downloading binary resources from remote servers to facilitate its testing capabilities, creating a critical security flaw in its implementation. The core issue lies in the tool's reliance on unencrypted HTTP connections for resource retrieval, which fundamentally undermines the security posture of any system utilizing this testing framework.
The technical flaw represents a classic man-in-the-middle attack vector where an attacker positioned within the network traffic flow can intercept and manipulate the communication between jstestdriver and its remote servers. When the tool downloads binary resources over HTTP without proper validation mechanisms, it creates opportunities for attackers to substitute legitimate binaries with malicious ones. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-319, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information via unencrypted communication channels, and more specifically aligns with CWE-494, concerning the download of code without integrity checks. The attack scenario becomes particularly dangerous because jstestdriver's architecture assumes the integrity of downloaded components, creating a trust boundary that can be easily compromised.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it potentially enables full remote code execution capabilities for an attacker. When an attacker successfully substitutes a legitimate binary with a malicious one, they can execute arbitrary code on the victim's system with the privileges of the user running jstestdriver. This represents a significant escalation from typical network-based attacks, as it transforms a testing tool into a potential entry point for more sophisticated compromise techniques. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1195, which covers content injection attacks, and T1059, covering command and scripting interpreters, as the substituted binaries could contain malicious payloads designed to establish persistent access or exfiltrate data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both the immediate security gap and the underlying architectural issues within jstestdriver. The most effective immediate solution involves implementing secure transport mechanisms such as HTTPS with certificate validation, ensuring that all binary downloads occur over encrypted channels with proper certificate verification. Organizations should also implement network-level controls including firewall rules that restrict outbound connections to known good repositories and deploy network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous traffic patterns that might indicate binary substitution attempts. Additionally, implementing binary integrity checks through cryptographic signatures or checksum validation would provide an additional layer of protection against tampered downloads, ensuring that even if an attacker intercepts the communication, they cannot successfully substitute malicious binaries without detection.