External risk intelligence

Ruby on Rails File Content Disclosure Vulnerability

CVE advisoryKnown Exploit

CVE-2019-5418

A file content disclosure vulnerability in Ruby on Rails allows attackers to expose arbitrary file contents from affected systems. This poses a business risk by potentially revealing sensitive data. Organizations should apply vendor updates to mitigate this exposure.

4Halo Surface Signal

Path Traversal

Rubyonrails Rails

3.0.0 to before 4.2.11.15.0.0 to before 5.0.7.25.1.0 to before 5.1.6.25.2.0 to before 5.2.2.18.04.715.0304.61.0

External exposure likelihood

Halo Surface Signal score for CVE-2019-5418

This vulnerability affects Ruby on Rails, a widely used web application framework. Applications built with Rails are commonly deployed as public-facing web services or APIs. Because the vulnerability exists within the framework's rendering layer and is reachable via HTTP request headers, it poses a high probability of exposure in typical internet-facing web application deployments.

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

A vulnerability in the Action View component of Ruby on Rails can permit the disclosure of arbitrary file contents from the target system. This occurs when specially crafted HTTP headers are used in conjunction with specific rendering functions. The impact could lead to sensitive information being exposed from the affected system.

  • Vulnerable component: Action View
  • Core weakness: File content disclosure via headers
  • Main business impact: Sensitive data exposure

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

This vulnerability allows an attacker to disclose the contents of arbitrary files on a target system. An attacker could exploit this by sending a specially crafted request that manipulates how the application handles file rendering. Successful exploitation could expose sensitive information stored on the system, impacting the confidentiality of data.

  • A web-accessible application is required.
  • Attacker sends a crafted HTTP request.
  • Application exposes file contents.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

A file content disclosure vulnerability exists in Action View within certain versions of Ruby on Rails. This vulnerability allows for the exposure of arbitrary files from the target system's file system. Organizations utilizing affected versions face a significant risk of sensitive data being accessed by unauthorized parties.

  • Likely attacker skill level: Low.
  • Required access or conditions: Network access.
  • Business risk or urgency: High.

Priority actions

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

A file content disclosure vulnerability exists in Action View, affecting specific versions of Ruby on Rails. This vulnerability allows attackers to expose the contents of arbitrary files on the target system through specially crafted requests. Organizations should prioritize identifying and mitigating this risk to prevent potential data exposure.

  • Identify exposed assets running affected versions.
  • Reduce exposure by restricting access or isolating systems.
  • Apply vendor updates and verify their effectiveness.
  • Monitor systems for related suspicious activity.

Frequently asked questions

What is Action View in Ruby on Rails?

Action View is a core component of the Ruby on Rails framework responsible for the presentation layer and user interface of a web application. It works with Action Controller to handle web requests and is primarily used for rendering templates, which are files containing HTML mixed with Ruby code (ERB). Action View helps developers create dynamic web pages by combining data with templates to generate the final HTML output sent to the user's browser.

What is the vulnerability described in CVE-2019-5418?

CVE-2019-5418 is a File Content Disclosure vulnerability, classified as CWE-22 (Path Traversal). It allows an attacker to expose the contents of arbitrary files on the target system's filesystem. This occurs when specially crafted HTTP 'Accept' headers are used in conjunction with the 'render file:' function in vulnerable versions of Action View.

How can an attacker trigger the CVE-2019-5418 vulnerability?

An attacker can trigger this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted HTTP 'Accept' header in a request to an application using a vulnerable version of Action View. This is particularly effective when the application's code uses the 'render file:' function without specifying a format. Standard template rendering is not affected by this vulnerability.

Who should be concerned about CVE-2019-5418, based on Halo Surface Signal?

Organizations with internet-facing web applications built with vulnerable versions of Ruby on Rails should be concerned. Because the vulnerability is reachable via HTTP requests, it poses a high probability of exposure for typical web services and APIs, indicating a significant risk for external-facing systems.

What are the initial steps to respond to CVE-2019-5418?

The primary response is to update Ruby on Rails to a patched version. If immediate upgrading is not feasible, consider modifying vulnerable code to explicitly specify the format when rendering files or refactoring to use template rendering instead of direct file rendering.

References