Socket.IO version 0.7.0 marks a notable evolution from its predecessor, version 0.6.18, introducing key changes for developers building real-time applications. Released in June 2011, version 0.7.0 builds upon the foundation of providing a WebSocket-like API for cross-browser compatibility. A key difference lies in the declared dependencies. Version 0.7.0 explicitly names specific dependencies, including "policyfile" (version >= 0.0.3) and "socket.io-client" (version 0.7.0), signifying a more modular and structured approach. This is advantageous to developers as it gives them better control over the specific components that they are importing in their projects.
Furthermore, the inclusion of "devDependencies" such as "should" (version 0.0.4) and "expresso" (version 0.7.7) highlights a focus on testing and development workflows, potentially increasing the stability and reliability of the library. In contrast, the details for Socket.IO version 0.6.18 lacked the detailed dependency declarations.
While both versions share the same core purpose, author, and repository, these added features make it a more attractive upgrade for developers focused on modern development practices, modularity, and ensuring code quality through testing. In Summary, for developers seeking a more robust and clearly defined dependency structure, Socket.IO version 0.7.0 is a worthy upgrade.
All the vulnerabilities related to the version 0.7.0 of the package
Insecure randomness in socket.io
Affected versions of socket.io depend on Math.random() to create socket IDs, and therefore the IDs are predictable. With enough information on prior IDs, an attacker may be able to guess the socket ID and gain access to socket.io servers without authorization.
Update to v0.9.7 or later.
CORS misconfiguration in socket.io
The package socket.io before 2.4.0 are vulnerable to Insecure Defaults due to CORS Misconfiguration. All domains are whitelisted by default.
socket.io has an unhandled 'error' event
A specially crafted Socket.IO packet can trigger an uncaught exception on the Socket.IO server, thus killing the Node.js process.
node:events:502
throw err; // Unhandled 'error' event
^
Error [ERR_UNHANDLED_ERROR]: Unhandled error. (undefined)
at new NodeError (node:internal/errors:405:5)
at Socket.emit (node:events:500:17)
at /myapp/node_modules/socket.io/lib/socket.js:531:14
at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:77:11) {
code: 'ERR_UNHANDLED_ERROR',
context: undefined
}
| Version range | Needs minor update? |
|------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| 4.6.2...latest | Nothing to do |
| 3.0.0...4.6.1 | Please upgrade to socket.io@4.6.2 (at least) |
| 2.3.0...2.5.0 | Please upgrade to socket.io@2.5.1 |
This issue is fixed by https://github.com/socketio/socket.io/commit/15af22fc22bc6030fcead322c106f07640336115, included in socket.io@4.6.2 (released in May 2023).
The fix was backported in the 2.x branch today: https://github.com/socketio/socket.io/commit/d30630ba10562bf987f4d2b42440fc41a828119c
As a workaround for the affected versions of the socket.io package, you can attach a listener for the "error" event:
io.on("connection", (socket) => {
socket.on("error", () => {
// ...
});
});
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
Thanks a lot to Paul Taylor for the responsible disclosure.