CVE-2022-36077

Workarounds

If upgrading isn't possible, this issue can be addressed without upgrading by preventing redirects to file:// URLs in the WebContents.on('will-redirect') event, for all WebContents:

app.on('web-contents-created', (e, webContents) => {
  webContents.on('will-redirect', (e, url) => {
    if (/^file:/.test(url)) e.preventDefault()
  })
})

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory, email us at [email protected].

Credit

Thanks to user @coolcoolnoworries for reporting this issue.

When following a redirect, Electron delays a check for redirecting to file:// URLs from other schemes. The contents of the file is not available to the renderer following the redirect, but if the redirect target is a SMB URL such as file://some.website.com/, then in some cases, Windows will connect to that server and attempt NTLM authentication, which can include sending hashed credentials.

CVE-2022-36077 has a CVSS score of 5.4 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (18.3.7, 20.0.1, 19.0.11); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

This issue has been fixed in all current stable versions of Electron. Specifically, these versions contain the fixes:

• 21.0.0-beta.1
• 20.0.1
• 19.0.11
• 18.3.7

We recommend all apps upgrade to the latest stable version of Electron.

1. What is CVE-2022-36077? CVE-2022-36077 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in electron (npm), affecting versions < 18.3.7. It is fixed in 18.3.7, 20.0.1, 19.0.11.
2. How severe is CVE-2022-36077? CVE-2022-36077 has a CVSS score of 5.4 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of electron are affected by CVE-2022-36077? electron (npm) versions < 18.3.7 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2022-36077? Yes. CVE-2022-36077 is fixed in 18.3.7, 20.0.1, 19.0.11. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2022-36077 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2022-36077 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2022-36077 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2022-36077?
   • Upgrade electron to 18.3.7 or later
   • Upgrade electron to 20.0.1 or later
   • Upgrade electron to 19.0.11 or later

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