Axe DevTools Browser Extension

General Information

Technologies must be operated and maintained in accordance with Federal and Department security and privacy policies and guidelines. More information on the proper use of the TRM can be found on the TRM Proper Use Tab/Section.

Website:	Go to site
Description:	Axe DevTools Browser Extension (formerly known as WorldSpace Attest) is an automated accessibility testing solution for web-based applications. This technology is a JavaScript framework for testing web content for accessibility issues relating to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG) and Section 508 accessibility guidelines. This framework can be used in many different development methodologies, but was specifically designed to support rapid and continuous testing in an agile environment such as Scrum. The TRM decisions in this entry only apply to technologies and versions owned, operated, managed, patched, and version-controlled by VA. This includes technologies deployed as software installations on VMs within VA-controlled cloud environments (e.g. VA Enterprise Cloud (VAEC)). Cloud services provided by the VAEC, which are listed in the VAEC Service Catalog, and those controlled and managed by an external Cloud Service Provider (i.e. SaaS) are not in the purview of the TRM. For more information on the use of cloud services and cloud-based products within VA, including VA private clouds, please see the Enterprise Cloud Solutions Office (ECSO) Portal at: https://dvagov.sharepoint.com/sites/OITECSO/ Please Note: The WorldSpace Attest Extension has had a name change, with no functionality modification. New name is Axe DevTools Browser Extension.
Technology/Standard Usage Requirements:	Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Officer (ISO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.
Section 508 Information:	This product is an accessible technology used to evaluate, repair, or report on accessibility of other tools. It is 508-compliant and needs no further assessment before use in VA. For additional information or assistance regarding Section 508, please contact the Section 508 Office at Section508@va.gov.
Decision:	View Decisions

Decision Source:	TRM Mgmt Group
Decision Process:	One-VA TRM v24.6
Decision Date:	06/06/2024 at 16:17:52 UTC
Aliases:	WorldSpace Attest
Introduced By:	TRM Request
Vendor Name:	Deque Systems

Vendor Release Information

The Vendor Release table provides the known releases for the TRM Technology, obtained from the vendor (or from the release source).

Version	Release Date	Vendor End of Life Date	Vendor Desupport Date
1.x	03/13/2016
2.x	11/02/2018
4.x	09/01/2020

Current Decision Matrix (05/16/2024)

Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Officer (ISO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.

The VA Decision Matrix displays the current and future VA IT position regarding different releases of a TRM entry. These decisions are based upon the best information available as of the most current date. The consumer of this information has the responsibility to consult the organizations responsible for the desktop, testing, and/or production environments to ensure that the target version of the technology will be supported. Any major.minor version that is not listed in the VA Decision Matrix is considered unapproved for use.

Legend:

White	Approved: The technology/standard has been approved for use.
Yellow	Approved w/Constraints: The technology/standard can be used within the specified constraints located below the decision matrix in the footnote[1] and on the General tab.
Gray	Unapproved: This technology or standard can be used only if a POA&M review is conducted and signed by the Authorizing Official Designated Representative (AODR) as designated by the Authorizing Official (AO) or designee and based upon a recommendation from the POA&M Compliance Enforcement, has been granted to the project team or organization that wishes to use the technology.
Orange	Divest: VA has decided to divest itself on the use of the technology/standard. As a result, all projects currently utilizing the technology/standard must plan to eliminate their use of the technology/standard. Additional information on when the entry is projected to become unapproved may be found on the Decision tab for the specific entry.
Black	Prohibited: The technology/standard is not (currently) permitted to be used under any circumstances.
Blue	Planning/Evaluation Constraint:The period of time this technology is currently being evaluated, reviewed, and tested in controlled environments. Use of this technology is strictly controlled and not available for use within the general population. If a customer would like to use this technology, please work with your local or Regional OI&T office and contact the appropriate evaluation office displayed in the notes below the decision matrix. The Local or Regional OI&T office should submit an inquiry to the TRM if they require further assistance or if the evaluating office is not listed in the notes below.

Release/Version Information:

VA decisions for specific versions may include a ‘.x’ wildcard, which denotes a decision that pertains to a range of multiple versions.

For example, a technology approved with a decision for 7.x would cover any version of 7.(Anything) - 7.(Anything). However, a 7.4.x decision would cover any version of 7.4.(Anything), but would not cover any version of 7.5.x or 7.6.x on the TRM.

VA decisions for specific versions may include ‘+’ symbols; which denotes that the decision for the version specified also includes versions greater than what is specified but is not to exceed or affect previous decimal places.

For example, a technology approved with a decision for 12.6.4+ would cover any version that is greater than 12.6.4, but would not exceed the .6 decimal ie: 12.6.401 is ok, 12.6.5 is ok, 12.6.9 is ok, however 12.7.0 or 13.0 is not.

<Past

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Release

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Q1

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1.x

Unapproved

2.x

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4.x

Approved w/Constraints
[2, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12]

Decision Constraints


[1]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[2]	Technology must remain patched and operated in accordance with Federal and Department security policies and guidelines in order to mitigate known and future security vulnerabilities.

[3]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[4]	Per the Initial Product Review, users must abide by the following constraints: Deque axe DevTools will require a 3rd party FIPS 140-2 certified solution for any data containing PHI/PII or VA sensitive information. Users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Office (ISO) or local OIT representative for permission to download and use this software. Downloaded software must always be scanned for viruses prior to installation to prevent adware or malware. Freeware may only be downloaded directly from the primary site that the creator of the software has advertised for public download and user or development community engagement. Users should note, any attempt by the installation process to install any additional, unrelated software is not approved and the user should take the proper steps to decline those installations. Browser Extensions must be approved on the TRM and supported by Solution Delivery, Desktop and Device Engineering. The system user or administrator initiating Deque axe DevTools must have robust authentication credentials, which includes PIV-compliant two-factor authentication (2FA), to prevent unauthorized or casual execution of the application.

[5]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[6]	Browser plug-ins and extensions may only be installed by VA IT Operations (ITOPS) and must be used with official VA browser installation packages that are managed by ITOPS. For installation, contact the National Service Desk [Mail Group: National Service Desk - Austin]. Browser extensions must be kept up to date with security patches and enhancements.

[7]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISSO (Information System Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[8]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISSO (Information System Security Officer) to ensure compliance with both VA Handbook 6500 and VA Directive 6500.

[9]	If free trialware is utilized, the software must be purchased or removed at the end of the trial period. Users must ensure that Firefox, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Edge are implemented with VA-approved baselines. (refer to the ‘Category’ tab under ‘Runtime Dependencies’) Per the Initial Product Review, users must abide by the following constraints: The Axe DevTools Browser Extension uses permissions that may not be necessary for the extension to function. A combined total of two critical, three high, three medium and one low risk permissions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge were noted. It is advised that permissions are verified with the developer and removed if they are not necessary for the extension to function. Using permissions that are not essential to the extension’s functionality expose the system, using the Axe DevTools Browser Extension to potential vulnerabilities and additional risks that could otherwise be avoided by disabling nonessential permissions. xe DevTools Browser Extension will require a 3rd party FIPS 140-2 certified solution for any data containing PHI/PII or VA sensitive information. Browser plug-ins and extensions may only be installed by VA Desktop and Device Engineering and must be used with official VA browser installation packages. Browser extensions must be kept up to date with security patches and enhancements. All vulnerability findings must be remediated prior to use on the VA network.

[10]	Users should check with their supervisor, Information System Security Officer (ISSO) or local OIT representative for permission to download and use this software. Downloaded software must always be scanned for viruses prior to installation to prevent adware or malware. Freeware may only be downloaded directly from the primary site that the creator of the software has advertised for public download and user or development community engagement. Users should note, any attempt by the installation process to install any additional, unrelated software is not approved and the user should take the proper steps to decline those installations.

[11]	Due to potential information security risks for cloud-based technologies, users should coordinate closely with their facility ISSO for guidance and assistance on cloud products. If further guidance is needed contact the Enterprise Cloud Solution Office (ECSO), which is the body responsible for new software development in and migration of existing systems to the VA Enterprise Cloud (VAEC) and ensuring organizational information, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and VA sensitive data are not compromised within the VAEC. For information about Software as a Service (SaaS) products or to submit a SaaS product request, visit the Product Marketplace. (Ref: VA Directive 6004, VA Directive 6517, VA Directive 6513 and VA Directive 6102).

[12]	The Federal Information Processing standards (FIPS) 140-2 certification status of this technology was not able to be verified. This technology will require a 3rd party FIPS 140-2 or 140-3 certified solution for any data containing PHI/PII or VA sensitive information, where applicable. More information regarding the Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) can be found on the NIST website.

Note:

At the time of writing, version 4.80.1 is the most current version, released 05/07/2024.

References

The following reference(s) are associated with this entry:
Type	Name	Source	Description
*NOTE: Vendor provided information is subject to the accuracy of the manufacturer.

Technology Components

Note: This list may not be complete. No component, listed or unlisted, may be used outside of the technology in which it is released. The usage decision for a component is found in the Decision and Decision Constraints.
Name	Description
Attest	The `attest` package is utilized within a browser environment, such as for use in unit tests like QUnit and Jasmine.
Attest Extension	The WorldSpace Attest browser extension is the third generation of Deque`s web accessibility checking utility that works within the web browser. This extension provides developers, content authors, and QA testers with the ability to check pages for accessibility issues, and to get expert help to solve them, while providing additional functionality as compared with Deque`s open-source extension and accessibility rules engine, aXe. This extension is integrated with Deque`s enterprise accessibility conformance suite, WorldSpace, which includes the Attest, Assure, and Comply products. WorldSpace Comply users can upload issues and scripts from the Attest extension to WorldSpace Comply, or download issues and scripts from WorldSpace Comply to the Attest extension. Additionally, the Attest extension provides Deque University clients with the ability to take advantage of enhanced, premium accessibility rule information and violation remediation advice in Attest.
Attest-node	The `attest-node` package is for use with Node.js environments such as the Node.js version of Selenium (selenium-webdriver) and is generally used in conjunction with the `attest-webdriverjs` package.
Attest-webdriverjs	The `attest-webdriverjs` package is used in conjunction with the `attest-node` package with Node.js environments.
Axe-core	The `axe-core` package is the raw rules engine which is embedded into the other packages. One should generally not have to use this library directly.

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Domain Area	Category	Customer Guidance	Category Locked By ELT Date
Application Technology Application Testing Software	Functional Testing Tools

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

macOS - Approved w/Constraints
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) - Approved w/Constraints
Windows Client - Approved w/Constraints

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Microsoft Edge. - (required for some configurations)
Node.js

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

This technology may improve productivity for specific staff whose responsibilities include coding and testing applications.
At the time of writing, no National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) vulnerabilities had been reported and no VA Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC) bulletins had been issued for the latest versions of this technology.

Adoption Risks

The potential exists to store Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI) and/or VA Sensitive data and proper security standards must be followed in these cases.
Due to the rapid release schedule of this technology, the VA may be unable to update to the most recent patch and may require a deployment model requiring the use of specific versions.
This technology is a browser plug-in or extension. Proper analysis must be conducted on this technology.
Deque axe DevTools is not Federal Information Processing standards (FIPS) 140-2 certified.
This technology has a free trial period, which carries the potential for the disruption of service delivery and inaccurate financial planning.
Nine findings from Chrome, Firefox and Edge permissions were found:
• Critical
o Debugger - Gives your extension access to the chrome.debugger API.
o Debugger - Gives your extension access to the chrome.debugger API.
Nine findings from Chrome, Firefox and Edge permissions were found:
•High
o tabs - Gives your extension access to privileged fields of the Tab objects used by several APIs including chrome.tabs and chrome.windows. In many circumstances your extension will not need to declare the "tabs" permission to make use of these APIs.
o tabs - Interact with the browser`s tab system.
o tabs - Gives your extension access to privileged fields of the Tab objects used by several APIs including chrome.tabs and chrome.windows. In many circumstances your extension will not need to declare the "tabs" permission to make use of these APIs.
Nine findings from Chrome, Firefox and Edge permissions were found:
• Medium
o Storage - Gives your extension access to the chrome.storage API.
o Storage - Enables extensions to store and retrieve data, and listen for changes to stored items.
o Storage - Gives your extension access to the chrome.storage API.
Nine findings from Chrome, Firefox and Edge permissions were found:
• Low
o activeTab - Requests that the extension be granted permissions according to the activeTab specification.

Architectural Benefits

This technology is portable as it runs on multiple TRM-approved operating systems.
This technology does not require online connection to services to operate, as code is hosted internally within the organization performing accessibility testing, and generated data is written to a local storage which can be dealt with according to internal security standards.

Architectural Risks

This technology includes cloud-based functionality which has potential information security risks.

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Decision Constraints

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Technology Components

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

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Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

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References

Technology Components

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

Adoption Risks

Architectural Benefits

Architectural Risks

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