# CVE-2017-3160: Supply chain in Apache Cordova Android

> Attackers can inject malicious code via Man-in-the-Middle attacks during Gradle download due to insecure HTTP usage in build scripts.

- **Severity:** High 7.4 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 1 Feb 2018
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vjv5-2xqq-c8vh

## What is CVE-2017-3160?

CVE-2017-3160 is a high-severity vulnerability in Apache Cordova Android, published on 1 Feb 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

After the Android platform is added to Cordova the first time, or after a project is created using the build scripts, the scripts will fetch Gradle on the first build. However, since the default URI is not using https, it is vulnerable to a MiTM and the Gradle executable is not safe. The severity of this issue is high due to the fact that the build scripts immediately start a build after Gradle has been fetched. Developers who are concerned about this issue should install version 6.1.2 or higher of Cordova-Android. If developers are unable to install the latest version, this vulnerability can easily be mitigated by setting the CORDOVA_ANDROID_GRADLE_DISTRIBUTION_URL environment variable to https://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-2.14.1-all.zip

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-3160?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Apache Cordova.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-3160?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-3160 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-3160 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-3160 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Apache Cordova Android

- [CVE-2021-21315](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21315/): System Information Library for Node.JS Command Injection (high 7.1, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2014-0073](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0073/): Cross-site scripting in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2014-0072](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0072/): Security feature bypass in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2016-6799](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-6799/): Information Exposure in cordova-android (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2014-3500](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-3500/): Other in n/a (medium 6.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-3160 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-3160 is a high-severity vulnerability in Apache Cordova Android, published on 1 Feb 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-3160 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Apache Cordova Android. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-3160/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-3160/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-3160
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-3160
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-3160

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-3160/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.