CVE-2024-28103 has been identified as a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Ruby on Rails Action Pack, a framework used for handling and responding to web requests. The vulnerability arises from an issue where the configurable Permissions-Policy is only served on responses with an HTML-related Content-Type starting from version 6.1.0. The vulnerability is fixed in versions 6.1.7.8, 7.0.8.2, and 7.1.3.3. Organizations using affected versions should take immediate action to mitigate potential risks.
The severity of this vulnerability is classified as medium, with a CVSS score of 5.4, indicating a moderate risk. The attack vector is network-based, requiring low attack complexity and no privileges to exploit. However, user interaction is required, which means an attacker may need the user to perform specific actions for exploitation.
Risk to organizations includes potential exposure of sensitive data and integrity issues due to unauthorized access or manipulation of data. Given the nature of the vulnerability, organizations must prioritize remediation efforts to ensure their systems are protected against potential exploitation.
As of now, there are no public exploits confirmed for this vulnerability, and it is not listed in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. Nevertheless, organizations should remain vigilant as the risk landscape can change rapidly.
Organizations should prioritize patching immediately to protect their systems from this vulnerability.
Vulnerability Details
The official description of CVE-2024-28103 states: 'Action Pack is a framework for handling and responding to web requests. Since 6.1.0, the application configurable Permissions-Policy is only served on responses with an HTML related Content-Type.' This vulnerability can lead to unintended exposure of information, as it does not enforce security headers for non-HTML responses.
The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 5.4, which falls into the medium severity category. The classification indicates that confidentiality and integrity impacts are low, while availability is unaffected. The vulnerability affects Ruby on Rails versions from 6.1.0 to below 6.1.7.8, 7.0.0 to below 7.0.8.4, and 7.1.0 to below 7.1.3.4, along with the beta version 7.2.0.
The vulnerability was published on June 4, 2024, and has been marked as modified in subsequent updates. The CWE classification associated with this vulnerability is CWE-20, which pertains to improper input validation.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of CVE-2024-28103 stems from a misconfiguration in the Action Pack framework that fails to apply the Permissions-Policy correctly for non-HTML content types. This misconfiguration allows attackers to potentially exploit the application by sending crafted requests that do not conform to expected Content-Types.
The attack vector for this vulnerability is network-based, which means attackers can exploit it remotely without physical access to the system. The attack complexity is considered low, as the exploitation does not require advanced skills or techniques. There are no privileges required for exploitation, meaning any unauthenticated user could potentially trigger the vulnerability.
User interaction is required for the attack to succeed. Attackers may need the user to engage with the application in a specific manner, such as clicking on a link or submitting a form. The impact on confidentiality and integrity is rated as low, while availability remains unaffected, indicating that the vulnerability does not disrupt service but may expose sensitive data.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Organizations that deploy Ruby on Rails applications should be aware of the implications of CVE-2024-28103. The potential for exposure of sensitive information, particularly when the application is served with non-HTML content types, poses a significant risk. This vulnerability could allow unauthorized parties to access application data or manipulate it without detection.
The urgency for addressing this vulnerability is categorized as medium, given the CVSS score of 5.4. Organizations should schedule remediation as part of their patch management cycle to prevent exploitation in the wild. The blast radius for this vulnerability can be potentially wide, especially for applications handling sensitive information or those that do not enforce strict Content-Type headers.
Organizations should remain vigilant and monitor for any anomalous behavior or signs of exploitation attempts related to this vulnerability.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The vulnerable versions of Ruby on Rails Action Pack include all versions from 6.1.0 up to but not including 6.1.7.8, from 7.0.0 up to but not including 7.0.8.4, and from 7.1.0 up to but not including 7.1.3.4. Additionally, the beta version 7.2.0 is also affected.
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations using vulnerable versions of Ruby on Rails should upgrade to the fixed versions: 6.1.7.8, 7.0.8.2, or 7.1.3.3. If immediate patching is not possible, organizations should consider implementing configuration hardening to enforce stricter Content-Type validation on responses and apply network controls to limit exposure until the patch can be applied.
More information on penetration testing and validation of remediation can be found at penetration testing services to ensure that security measures are effective.
Detection Guidance
Organizations should monitor logs for indicators of attempts to exploit this vulnerability. Behavioral anomalies such as unexpected responses or missing security headers in non-HTML content types may indicate attempts to exploit CVE-2024-28103. Network signatures should also be established to detect unusual traffic patterns related to this vulnerability.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of CVE-2024-28103 lies in its representation of a broader trend in web application vulnerabilities related to security headers. As more applications utilize frameworks like Ruby on Rails, understanding and addressing the implications of misconfigured security policies becomes crucial.
Security teams must learn from such vulnerabilities to implement better security practices within their development processes. Regular security assessments, including penetration testing methodologies, can help identify and mitigate similar issues before they can be exploited.
Organizations should take this opportunity to review their application security posture and consider implementing a comprehensive vulnerability management program to strengthen their defenses against future threats.
The strategic takeaway from this vulnerability is clear: proactive security measures, including regular updates and security assessments, are essential in protecting applications and data from evolving threats.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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