# CVE-2024-39698

## Summary

- **CVE ID:** CVE-2024-39698
- **Severity:** HIGH
- **CVSS Score:** 7.5 (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H)
- **CWE:** CWE-154
- **Published:** Jul 9, 2024
- **Last Modified:** Mar 13, 2026

## Description

electron-updater allows for automatic updates for Electron apps. The file `packages/electron-updater/src/windowsExecutableCodeSignatureVerifier.ts` implements the signature validation routine for Electron applications on Windows. Because of the surrounding shell, a first pass by `cmd.exe` expands any environment variable found in command-line above. This creates a situation where `verifySignature()` can be tricked into validating the certificate of a different file than the one that was just downloaded. If the step is successful, the malicious update will be executed even if its signature is invalid. This attack assumes a compromised update manifest (server compromise, Man-in-the-Middle attack if fetched over HTTP, Cross-Site Scripting to point the application to a malicious updater server, etc.). The patch is available starting from 6.3.0-alpha.6.

## Affected Products

- electron-userland — electron-builder (< 6.3.0-alpha.6)

## References

- [CNA](https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/security/advisories/GHSA-9jxc-qjr9-vjxq)
- [CNA](https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/pull/8295)
- [CNA](https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/commit/ac2e6a25aa491c1ef5167a552c19fc2085cd427f)
- [CNA](https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/blob/140e2f0eb0df79c2a46e35024e96d0563355fc89/packages/electron-updater/src/windowsExecutableCodeSignatureVerifier.ts#L35-L41)

## Exploitation Prediction (EPSS)

- **EPSS Score:** 0.34%
- **EPSS Percentile:** 26.6

---
_Exported from OnDuty AI Vulnerability Intelligence on 2026-09-10._