CVE-2021-39184

CVE-2021-39184 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Electronjs Electron with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-862.

Key facts

Description

Electron is a framework for writing cross-platform desktop applications using JavaScript, HTML and CSS. A vulnerability in versions prior to 11.5.0, 12.1.0, and 13.3.0 allows a sandboxed renderer to request a "thumbnail" image of an arbitrary file on the user's system. The thumbnail can potentially include significant parts of the original file, including textual data in many cases. Versions 15.0.0-alpha.10, 14.0.0, 13.3.0, 12.1.0, and 11.5.0 all contain a fix for the vulnerability. Two workarounds aside from upgrading are available. One may make the vulnerability significantly more difficult for an attacker to exploit by enabling `contextIsolation` in one's app. One may also disable the functionality of the `createThumbnailFromPath` API if one does not need it.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-39184?
Electron is a framework for writing cross-platform desktop applications using JavaScript, HTML and CSS. A vulnerability in versions prior to 11.5.0, 12.1.0, and 13.3.0 allows a sandboxed renderer to request a "thumbnail" image of an arbitrary file on the user's system. The thumbnail can potentially include significant parts of the original file, including textual data in many cases. Versions 15.0.0-alpha.10, 14.0.0, 13.3.0, 12.1.0, and 11.5.0 all contain a fix for the vulnerability. Two workarounds aside from upgrading are available. One may make the vulnerability significantly more difficult for an attacker to exploit by enabling `contextIsolation` in one's app. One may also disable the functionality of the `createThumbnailFromPath` API if one does not need it.
How severe is CVE-2021-39184?
CVE-2021-39184 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.8, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2021-39184 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (63rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-39184?
CVE-2021-39184 primarily affects Electronjs Electron. In total, 35 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-39184?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2021-39184 published?
CVE-2021-39184 was published on 2021-10-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (35)

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