CVE-2017-16031: Socket.io Insecure Randomness Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-qv2v-m59f-v5fw
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CVSS 7.5
CWE-330
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2017-16031 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) insecure randomness vulnerability (CWE-330: Use of Insufficiently Random Values) affecting Socket.io libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves insecure randomness in socket.io. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 0.9.7.

CVE-2017-16031 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2017-16031
GHSA Identifier GHSA-qv2v-m59f-v5fw
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5
CWE Classification CWE-330: Use of Insufficiently Random Values
Affected Product Socket.io
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.5

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

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

How to Fix CVE-2017-16031

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

socket.io fixed: 0.9.7 
npm install socket.io@0.9.7
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 socket.io

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Node.js application is affected by CVE-2017-16031, inspect your project dependencies using npm:

npm ls socket.io

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Socket.io in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 0.9.7), your application is affected.

Note: The npm ls socket.io 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-330: Use of Insufficiently Random Values, where the product uses insufficiently random numbers or values in a security context that depends on unpredictable numbers. In Socket.io, 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 `socket.io` depend on `Math.random()` to create socket IDs, and therefore the IDs are predictable. With enough information on prior IDs, an attacker may be able to guess the socket ID and gain access to socket.io servers without authorization. ## Recommendation Update to v0.9.7 or later.

CVE-2017-16031 Affected Socket.io Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
0.9.7
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
socket.io
npm/socket.io
npm
< 0.9.7
0.9.7

References

NVD — CVE-2017-16031 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-16031
Socket.io Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/socketio/socket.io/issues/856
Socket.io Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/socketio/socket.io/pull/857
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/socketio/socket.io/commit/67b4eb9abdf111dfa9be4176d1709374a2b4ded8
GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-qv2v-m59f-v5fw
Socket.io Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/socketio/socket.io
www.npmjs.com/advisories/321 WEB
https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/321

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2017-16031?
CVE-2017-16031 is a security vulnerability in Socket.io involving Insecure randomness in socket.io under CWE-330: Use of Insufficiently Random Values.
Which Socket.io versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 0.9.7 across affected packages: socket.io.
What version fixes CVE-2017-16031?
Upgrading to 0.9.7 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is socket.io affected?
Yes, socket.io is affected in releases prior to 0.9.7. Upgrade your dependency to 0.9.7 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2017-16031?
CVE-2017-16031 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2017-16031?
CVE-2017-16031 is classified under CWE-330: Use of Insufficiently Random Values (The product uses insufficiently random numbers or values in a security context that depends on unpredictable numbers.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2017-16031?
Run the dependency tree command: 'npm ls socket.io'. 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-qv2v-m59f-v5fw",
  "modified" : "2021-09-16T21:04:32Z",
  "published" : "2018-11-07T00:29:37Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2017-16031" ],
  "summary" : "Insecure randomness in socket.io",
  "details" : "Affected versions of `socket.io` depend on `Math.random()` to create socket IDs, and therefore the IDs are predictable. With enough information on prior IDs, an attacker may be able to guess the socket ID and gain access to socket.io servers without authorization.\n\n\n## Recommendation\n\nUpdate to v0.9.7 or later.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "socket.io"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "0.9.7"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 0.9.6"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-16031"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/socketio/socket.io/issues/856"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/socketio/socket.io/pull/857"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/socketio/socket.io/commit/67b4eb9abdf111dfa9be4176d1709374a2b4ded8"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-qv2v-m59f-v5fw"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/socketio/socket.io"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/321"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-330" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2020-06-16T21:52:46Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}