CVE-2017-5858 is a medium-severity (CVSS 5.9) Improper Input Validation vulnerability in converse.js. 3 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for converse.js — see the affected versions and patch details below.
User Impersonation in converse.js
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2017-5858 by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). Outside the shaded patch-first corner.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 379,842 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Counts from FIRST.org, log-scaled.
Real-World Exposure
How broadly this vulnerability is actually deployed: weekly install volume shows current usage, and reverse-dependency count shows how many other packages break if it stays unpatched.
converse.jsnpmDescription
Versions of converse.js prior to 1.0.7 for 1.x or 2.0.5 for 2.x are vulnerable to User Impersonation. The package provides an incorrect implementation of XEP-0280: Message Carbons that allows a remote attacker to impersonate any user, including contacts, in the vulnerable application's display. This allows for various kinds of social engineering attacks.
Recommendation
If you're using converse.js 1.x, upgrade to 1.0.7 or later.
If you're using converse.js 2.x, upgrade to 2.0.5 or later.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | converse.js | all versions | 1.0.7npm install converse.js@1.0.7 |
| 📦npm | converse.js | ≥ 2.0.0&&< 2.0.5 | 2.0.5npm install converse.js@2.0.5 |
Affected Products
converse.jsconversejsResearch use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for converse.js, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update converse.js to 1.0.7 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2017-5858 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2017-5858 in your dependencies?
Find it across npm, including transitive dependencies.