# CVE-2023-29198: Context isolation bypass via nested unserializable return value in Electron

> Attackers can bypass context isolation in Electron apps to perform privileged actions if exposed APIs return unserializable objects.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 6 Sep 2023
- **Updated:** 26 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p7v2-p9m8-qqg7

## What is CVE-2023-29198?

CVE-2023-29198 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Electronjs Electron, published on 6 Sep 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Electron is a framework which lets you write cross-platform desktop applications using JavaScript, HTML and CSS. Electron 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. This issue is only exploitable if an API exposed to the main world via `contextBridge` can return an object or array that contains a javascript 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`. 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. This issue has been fixed in versions `25.0.0-alpha.2`, `24.0.1`, `23.2.3`, and `22.3.6`.

Weakness: CWE-754 (Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-29198?

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


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `electron` | npm | All versions | 22.3.6 |
| `electron` | npm | All versions | 22.3.6 |
| `electron` | npm | From 23.0.0-alpha.1 | 23.2.3 |
| `electron` | npm | From 23.0.0-alpha.1 | 23.2.3 |
| `electron` | npm | From 24.0.0-alpha.1 | 24.0.1 |
| `electron` | npm | From 24.0.0-alpha.1 | 24.0.1 |
| `electron` | npm | From 25.0.0-alpha.1 | 25.0.0-alpha.2 |
| `electron` | npm | From 25.0.0-alpha.1 | 25.0.0-alpha.2 |

Products: Electronjs Electron.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-29198?

Upgrade electron to a fixed version for your release line: 22.3.6, 23.2.3, 24.0.1 or 25.0.0-alpha.2.

## Is CVE-2023-29198 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-29198 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-2023-29198 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-29198 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Electronjs Electron, published on 6 Sep 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-29198 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- electron (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 22.3.6
- electron (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 22.3.6
- electron (npm): affected from 23.0.0-alpha.1; fixed in 23.2.3
- electron (npm): affected from 23.0.0-alpha.1; fixed in 23.2.3
- electron (npm): affected from 24.0.0-alpha.1; fixed in 24.0.1
- electron (npm): affected from 24.0.0-alpha.1; fixed in 24.0.1
- electron (npm): affected from 25.0.0-alpha.1; fixed in 25.0.0-alpha.2
- electron (npm): affected from 25.0.0-alpha.1; fixed in 25.0.0-alpha.2

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-2023-29198/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-29198/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-29198
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-29198
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-29198

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-29198/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.