# CVE-2020-4076: Context isolation bypass via leaked cross-context objects in Electron

> Attackers can bypass context isolation in Electron apps to execute privileged actions from the renderer process, requiring an upgrade to patched versions.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 7 Jul 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-m93v-9qjc-3g79

## What is CVE-2020-4076?

CVE-2020-4076 is a high-severity vulnerability in Electronjs Electron, published on 7 Jul 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In Electron before versions 7.2.4, 8.2.4, and 9.0.0-beta21, there is a context isolation bypass. Code running in the main world context in the renderer can reach into the isolated Electron context and perform privileged actions. Apps using contextIsolation are affected. This is fixed in versions 9.0.0-beta.21, 8.2.4 and 7.2.4.

Weakness: CWE-501 (Trust Boundary Violation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-4076?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including electron. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `electron` | npm | All versions | 7.2.4 |
| `electron` | npm | All versions | 7.2.4 |
| `electron` | npm | From 8.0.0 | 8.2.4 |
| `electron` | npm | From 8.0.0 | 8.2.4 |

Products: Electronjs Electron.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-4076?

Upgrade electron to a fixed version for your release line: 7.2.4 or 8.2.4.

## Is CVE-2020-4076 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-4076 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Electronjs Electron

- [CVE-2017-16151](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-16151/): Chromium Remote Code Execution in electron (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-1000118](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1000118/): Electron protocol handler browser vulnerable to Command Injection (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-34780](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-34780/): Electron: Context Isolation bypass via contextBridge VideoFrame transfer (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2026-102676](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-102676/): Electron: <webview> can enable Node.js integration in Web Workers despite embedder restrictions (high 8.3)
- [CVE-2026-102673](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-102673/): Electron drops inherited HTML sandbox restrictions for popups opened through OpenURLFromTab (high 8.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-4076 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-4076 is a high-severity vulnerability in Electronjs Electron, published on 7 Jul 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-4076 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- electron (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 7.2.4
- electron (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 7.2.4
- electron (npm): affected from 8.0.0; fixed in 8.2.4
- electron (npm): affected from 8.0.0; fixed in 8.2.4

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-2020-4076/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4076/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-4076
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-4076
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-4076

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4076/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.