CVE-2023-29198

Workarounds

This issue is exploitable under either of two conditions:

• If an API exposed to the main world via contextBridge can return an object or array that contains a JS object which cannot be serialized, for instance, a canvas rendering context. This would normally result in an exception being thrown Error: object could not be cloned.
• If an API exposed to the main world via contextBridge has a return value that throws a user-generated exception while being sent over the bridge, for instance a dynamic getter property on an object that throws an error when being computed.

The app side workaround is to ensure that such a case is not possible. Ensure all values returned from a function exposed over the context bridge are supported and that any objects returned from functions do not have dynamic getters that can throw exceptions.

Auditing your exposed API is likely to be quite difficult so we strongly recommend you update to a patched version of Electron.

Fixed Versions

• 25.0.0-alpha.2
• 24.0.1
• 23.2.3
• 22.3.6

For more information

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

Apps using contextIsolation and contextBridge are affected.

This is a context isolation bypass, meaning that code running in the main world context in the renderer can reach into the isolated Electron context and perform privileged actions.

CVE-2023-29198 has a CVSS score of 6.0 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, low 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 (22.3.6, 23.2.3, 24.0.1, 25.0.0-alpha.2); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is CVE-2023-29198? CVE-2023-29198 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in electron (npm), affecting versions < 22.3.6. It is fixed in 22.3.6, 23.2.3, 24.0.1, 25.0.0-alpha.2.
2. How severe is CVE-2023-29198? CVE-2023-29198 has a CVSS score of 6.0 (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-2023-29198? electron (npm) versions < 22.3.6 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2023-29198? Yes. CVE-2023-29198 is fixed in 22.3.6, 23.2.3, 24.0.1, 25.0.0-alpha.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2023-29198 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-29198 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-2023-29198 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-2023-29198?
   • Upgrade electron to 22.3.6 or later
   • Upgrade electron to 23.2.3 or later
   • Upgrade electron to 24.0.1 or later
   • Upgrade electron to 25.0.0-alpha.2 or later