Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Older versions of the npm chromedriver module fetched ChromeDriver binaries over unencrypted HTTP. A network-positioned attacker could replace the downloaded binary, potentially leading to code execution in developer or CI environments during installation.
Executive priority
Treat as a targeted supply-chain risk for older development and CI systems. Prioritize remediation where builds run with sensitive credentials or produce production artifacts.
Technical view
CVE-2016-10579 affects the chromedriver node module before 2.26.1. The package downloaded binary resources over HTTP, exposing the download to man-in-the-middle tampering. The issue maps to CWE-311 and could result in attacker-controlled binary execution if the attacker controls the network path.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely in legacy JavaScript projects, build images, CI pipelines, or developer workstations still using chromedriver versions before 2.26.1.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not report active exploitation, and the CVE is not listed as KEV. Exploitation requires an attacker positioned on the network path during the vulnerable binary download.
Researcher notes
Validation should focus on install-time behavior and dependency provenance, not runtime web exposure. Evidence in the source bundle does not provide CVSS, exploit maturity, or broader affected product claims.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade chromedriver to version 2.26.1 or later.
- Review vendor advisory guidance before changing legacy build workflows.
- Refresh lockfiles and build images after dependency updates.
- Prefer trusted networks and secured package installation paths.
Validation and detection
- Review package manifests and lockfiles for chromedriver versions before 2.26.1.
- Check CI images and cached dependency layers for old chromedriver installs.
- Confirm dependency updates are reflected in reproducible builds.
- Verify no legacy install scripts fetch ChromeDriver over HTTP.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-311: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupExecution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2016-10579 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://nodesecurity.io/advisories/160CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data
Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.