CVE-2016-10687: Windows selenium chromedriver Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-j9q7-3rhf-4ppv
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CVSS 8.1
CWE-311
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2016-10687 is a HIGH (CVSS 8.1) remote code execution vulnerability (CWE-311: Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data) affecting Windows selenium chromedriver libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves windows-selenium-chromedriver downloads resources over http. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2016-10687 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2016-10687
GHSA Identifier GHSA-j9q7-3rhf-4ppv
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 8.1
CWE Classification CWE-311: Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data
Affected Product Windows selenium chromedriver
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 8.1

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity High (AC:H)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2016-10687

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Windows selenium chromedriver dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

windows-selenium-chromedriver fixed: Latest secure release 
npm install windows-selenium-chromedriver@Latest secure release
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

npm ls windows-selenium-chromedriver

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Node.js application is affected by CVE-2016-10687, inspect your project dependencies using npm:

npm ls windows-selenium-chromedriver

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Windows selenium chromedriver in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: The npm ls windows-selenium-chromedriver command inspects dependencies declared in your package.json and lockfile; it does not perform automated runtime dynamic scanning.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-311: Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data, where the product does not encrypt sensitive or critical information before storage or transmission. In Windows selenium chromedriver, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

Affected versions of `windows-selenium-chromedriver` insecurely download an executable over an unencrypted HTTP connection. In scenarios where an attacker has a privileged network position, it is possible to intercept the response and replace the executable with a malicious one, resulting in code execution on the system running `windows-selenium-chromedriver`. ## Recommendation No patch is currently available for this vulnerability. The best mitigation is currently to avoid using this package, using a different package if available. Alternatively, the risk of exploitation can be reduced by ensuring that this package is not installed while connected to a public network. If the package is installed on a private network, the only people who can exploit this vulnerability are those who have compromised your network or those who have privileged access to your ISP, such as Nation State Actors or Rogue ISP Employees.

CVE-2016-10687 Affected Windows selenium chromedriver Versions

1 component(s)
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
windows-selenium-chromedriver
npm/windows-selenium-chromedriver
npm
≥ 0.0.0

References

NVD — CVE-2016-10687 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10687
www.npmjs.com/advisories/285 WEB
https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/285

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2016-10687?
CVE-2016-10687 is a security vulnerability in Windows selenium chromedriver involving windows-selenium-chromedriver downloads Resources over HTTP under CWE-311: Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data.
Which Windows selenium chromedriver versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches across affected packages: windows-selenium-chromedriver.
What version fixes CVE-2016-10687?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is windows-selenium-chromedriver affected?
Yes, windows-selenium-chromedriver is affected in releases prior to Latest secure release. Upgrade your dependency to Latest secure release or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2016-10687?
CVE-2016-10687 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2016-10687?
CVE-2016-10687 is classified under CWE-311: Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data (The product does not encrypt sensitive or critical information before storage or transmission.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2016-10687?
Run the dependency tree command: 'npm ls windows-selenium-chromedriver'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-j9q7-3rhf-4ppv",
  "modified" : "2023-09-12T21:10:13Z",
  "published" : "2020-09-01T16:11:08Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2016-10687" ],
  "summary" : "windows-selenium-chromedriver downloads Resources over HTTP",
  "details" : "Affected versions of `windows-selenium-chromedriver` insecurely download an executable over an unencrypted HTTP connection. \n\nIn scenarios where an attacker has a privileged network position, it is possible to intercept the response and replace the executable with a malicious one, resulting in code execution on the system running `windows-selenium-chromedriver`.\n\n\n## Recommendation\n\nNo patch is currently available for this vulnerability.\n\nThe best mitigation is currently to avoid using this package, using a different package if available. \n\nAlternatively, the risk of exploitation can be reduced by ensuring that this package is not installed while connected to a public network. If the package is installed on a private network, the only people who can exploit this vulnerability are those who have compromised your network or those who have privileged access to your ISP, such as Nation State Actors or Rogue ISP Employees.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "windows-selenium-chromedriver"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0.0.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10687"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/285"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-311" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2020-08-31T18:17:50Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}