GHSA-w973-2qcc-p78x
MEDIUMGHSA-w973-2qcc-p78x is a medium-severity (CVSS 5.9) Improper Input Validation vulnerability in converse.js. 3 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. O3 Security confirms whether GHSA-w973-2qcc-p78x is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
User Impersonation in converse.js
Blast Radius
Weekly download volume for affected packages — a proxy for how broadly this vulnerability is deployed.
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 | 1.0.7 |
| 📦npm | converse.js | ≥ 2.0.0&&< 2.0.5 | 2.0.5 |
Research 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. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update converse.js to 1.0.7 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-w973-2qcc-p78x 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.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether GHSA-w973-2qcc-p78x is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to GHSA-w973-2qcc-p78x. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-w973-2qcc-p78x in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-w973-2qcc-p78x across npm dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.