CVE-2016-10694 in alto-saxophone
Summary
by MITRE
alto-saxophone is a module to install and launch Chromedriver for Mac, Linux or Windows. alto-saxophone versions below 2.25.1 download 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 CVE-2016-10694 vulnerability affects the alto-saxophone module, which serves as a utility for installing and launching Chromedriver across multiple operating systems including Mac, Linux, and Windows. This module operates as a dependency management tool that automates the process of downloading and setting up Chromedriver binaries, making it an essential component for automated testing environments and web application development workflows. The vulnerability stems from the module's implementation of insecure communication protocols during the binary download process, specifically utilizing HTTP instead of secure HTTPS connections for retrieving remote resources.
The technical flaw manifests in the module's failure to implement secure transport mechanisms for downloading binary resources, creating a man-in-the-middle attack vector that aligns with CWE-319 - Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information. When the alto-saxophone module downloads Chromedriver binaries, it establishes connections using plain HTTP protocols without any form of encryption or integrity verification, leaving the communication channel susceptible to interception and manipulation by malicious actors positioned within the network infrastructure. This insecure practice directly violates security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-52 and OWASP Top 10 2021, which emphasize the critical importance of encrypting all sensitive data transmission channels.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it creates a potential remote code execution pathway that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1195.001 - Supply Chain Compromise. An attacker who successfully positions themselves between the victim and the remote server can substitute the legitimate Chromedriver binary with a maliciously crafted version, potentially executing arbitrary code on the target system. This risk is particularly elevated in environments where developers frequently use automated tools and scripts that rely on such modules, as the attack surface expands to include all systems that utilize vulnerable versions of alto-saxophone. The vulnerability affects all versions prior to 2.25.1, making it a widespread concern for organizations that may have deployed older versions without proper security scanning protocols.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-10694 require immediate version updates to 2.25.1 or later, which address the insecure HTTP connections by implementing proper HTTPS transport with certificate validation. Organizations should also implement network-level security measures such as DNS filtering, web application firewalls, and network segmentation to reduce the attack surface available to potential adversaries. Additionally, security teams should establish automated dependency checking processes that scan for vulnerable components in development environments, as outlined in the OWASP Dependency Check framework. The fix implemented in version 2.25.1 demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices and proper transport layer security implementation, serving as a reminder that even seemingly simple utility modules can introduce significant security risks when they fail to implement basic security controls.