CVE-2018-15685

Electron webPreferences vulnerability can be used to perform remote code execution

8.1 HighPublic exploitFix available

GitHub Electron 1.7.15, 1.8.7, 2.0.7, and 3.0.0-beta.6, in certain scenarios involving IFRAME elements and "nativeWindowOpen: true" or "sandbox: true" options, is affected by a WebPreferences vulnerability that can be leveraged to perform remote code execution.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector: Network
Complexity: High
Privileges needed: None
User interaction: None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: High

Exploit likelihood

10.3%Up 4.1 points since Apr 14, 2021

What each source reports

NVD Score used 8.1

Record: CVE-2018-15685
CVSS 3.0: 8.1 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0: 6.8 MediumAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
Weakness: CWE-1188
Updated: 2026-11-02

CVE List No score

Record: CVE-2018-15685
Updated: 2026-11-02

EUVDEUVD-2018-0403 No score

Record: EUVD-2018-0403
Updated: 2026-11-03

GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-hv9c-qwqg-qj3v 8.1

Electron webPreferences vulnerability can be used to perform remote code execution

GitHub Electron 1.7.15, 1.8.7, 2.0.7, and 3.0.0-beta.6, in certain scenarios involving IFRAME elements and "nativeWindowOpen: true" or "sandbox: true" options, is affected by a webPreferences vulnerability that can be leveraged to perform remote code execution.

More information to determine if you are impacted can be found on the electron blog.

Recommendation

Upgrade Electron to >=3.0.0-beta.7, >=2.0.8, >=1.8.8, or >=1.7.16.

Record: GHSA-hv9c-qwqg-qj3v
CVSS 3.0: 8.1 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness: CWE-1188
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSV 8.1

Record: CVE-2018-15685
CVSS 3.0: 8.1 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVGHSA-hv9c-qwqg-qj3v 8.1

Electron webPreferences vulnerability can be used to perform remote code execution

GitHub Electron 1.7.15, 1.8.7, 2.0.7, and 3.0.0-beta.6, in certain scenarios involving IFRAME elements and "nativeWindowOpen: true" or "sandbox: true" options, is affected by a webPreferences vulnerability that can be leveraged to perform remote code execution.

More information to determine if you are impacted can be found on the electron blog.

Recommendation

Upgrade Electron to >=3.0.0-beta.7, >=2.0.8, >=1.8.8, or >=1.7.16.

Record: GHSA-hv9c-qwqg-qj3v
CVSS 3.0: 8.1 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness: CWE-1188
Updated: 2026-11-02

Affected products

electronjs electron

Affected packages

Affected packages
Package	Affected	Fixed
`electron` npm	1.7.0 up to 1.7.16	1.7.16
`electron` npm	1.8.0 up to 1.8.8	1.8.8
`electron` npm	2.0.0 up to 2.0.8	2.0.8
`electron` npm	3.0.0-beta.1 up to 3.0.0-beta.7	3.0.0-beta.7

Public exploits

Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.

Public exploits
Source	Link	Date
Exploit-DB	Electron WebPreferences - Remote Code Execution	2018-08-27

History

History
Recorded	Changed	Sources
Nov 3, 2026	aliases	EUVD
Nov 2, 2026	first indexed	CVE List, Exploit-DB, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2018-15685 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.1) in Electronjs Electron, published August 23, 2018. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 10.3%, the 95th percentile. Fixed in electron 1.7.16.

References

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