CVE-2020-4076 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

In Electron before versions 7.2.4, 8.2.4, and 9.0.0-beta21, a context isolation bypass vulnerability exists, allowing code in the main world context to access the isolated Electron context and execute privileged actions.

Understanding CVE-2020-4076

This CVE involves a context isolation bypass vulnerability in Electron.

What is CVE-2020-4076?

In Electron versions prior to 7.2.4, 8.2.4, and 9.0.0-beta21, a security flaw enables code from the main world context to breach the isolated Electron context, leading to unauthorized privileged actions. Applications utilizing contextIsolation are impacted by this vulnerability.

The Impact of CVE-2020-4076

CVSS Base Score: 7.8 (High)
Attack Vector: Local
Attack Complexity: High
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Confidentiality Impact: High
Integrity Impact: High
Availability Impact: None
Scope: Changed

Technical Details of CVE-2020-4076

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows code in the main world context to access the isolated Electron context, leading to unauthorized privileged actions.

Affected Systems and Versions

Electron versions >= 9.0.0-beta.0, <= 9.0.0-beta.20
Electron versions >= 8.0.0, < 8.2.4
Electron versions < 7.2.4

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by running code in the main world context to reach into the isolated Electron context and perform privileged actions.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from CVE-2020-4076 with the following measures.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Electron to versions 9.0.0-beta.21, 8.2.4, or 7.2.4 to mitigate the vulnerability.
Review and restrict access permissions for applications using contextIsolation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor Electron security advisories and update to the latest versions promptly.
Implement secure coding practices to prevent context isolation bypass vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Electron has released fixes in versions 9.0.0-beta.21, 8.2.4, and 7.2.4 to address this vulnerability.